People's Party Urges Government to Allocate 7B Baht for Student Loans
On Sept 21, 2026, People's Party executives urged the government at the Thai parliament to use central funds to resolve the Student Loan Fund's liquidity crisis.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- People's Party leaders held a press conference at the Thai parliament on Sept 21, 2026, addressing the Student Loan Fund's liquidity issues.
- They proposed that the government allocate 7 billion baht from central funds to sustain the fund and prevent students from dropping out.
- The party noted that the funding shortage stems mainly from past borrowers being unable to repay amid current economic conditions.
At 09:35 AM on September 21, 2026, at the Sappaya-Sapasathan Thai Parliament Bangkok, executives and Members of Parliament from the People's Party—led by Natthpong Ruengpanyawut, party leader; Sirikanya Tansakul, deputy leader; Phicharn Chaowapatanawong, secretary-general; and Ruckchanok Srinork, party list MP—held a joint press conference regarding the severe financial liquidity crisis facing the Student Loan Fund (SLF) and its direct impact on Thai youths.
The People's Party highlighted that the allocated budget for the SLF for 2026 and 2027 is insufficient. A primary factor causing this cash flow shortage is that former borrowers cannot make their repayments back into the fund, given that the current overall economic environment remains sluggish and most original borrowers did not come from wealthy backgrounds in the first place.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
To address this critical issue, the party suggested that the government utilize the fiscal year's central budget to inject 7 billion baht into the SLF. This financial injection is viewed as a vital lifeline to ensure that students are not forced to drop out of the educational system simply due to a lack of financial resources.
"Budget can be wasted elsewhere, but please allocate 7 billion baht to inject funds and breathe life back into the nation's future."
Ruckchanok Srinork
The Student Loan Fund (SLF) serves as a critical social infrastructure component for achieving educational equity in Thailand. The opposition's warning about liquidity shortages highlights the structural flaw of relying solely on borrower repayments to sustain the fund during macroeconomic downturns. Utilizing central government budgets to subsidize the fund acts as a necessary short-term intervention to prevent individual educational disruptions, which otherwise carry severe long-term socio-economic costs for the country.
The People's Party leadership concluded by stressing that the administration should have been capable of forecasting these financial figures in advance, noting that the SLF was never designed to be entirely self-sufficient from its inception. Therefore, the government must take proactive responsibility in allocating adequate financial resources to safeguard the future of the nation's students.
Source: Khaosod Politics
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