Teachers approach AMLO over loan scheme
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Thousands of teachers have called on the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to freeze the assets of the Funeral Assistance Programme for Teachers and Educational Personnel.
The teachers suspect that the programme has cheated them, with damages estimated at more than B5 billion.
Songkran Achariyasap, who chairs a network against activities that are considered detrimental to Thailand, religion or the monarchy, yesterday submitted more than 5,000 complaints from teachers to AMLO.
“Please investigate the programme and freeze its assets,” he said.
Songkran said the programme had required loan-seeking teachers to buy a life-insurance policy to ensure that if the loan receiver dies, the outstanding loan amount will be covered by the insurance proceeds.
“The policy cost is deducted from the loan amount, with teachers being told the policy is valid for nine to 10 years,” Songkran said. “But when some teachers checked with the Office of the Insurance Commission, they found out that what they had got was accident and health insurance, not life insurance.”
Songkran said many more teachers would come forward because up to 150,000 of them had participated in this programme.
“In fact, accident-insurance policies should cost no more than Bt8,000, but teachers have been required to pay a six-digit figure each,” he said.
AMLO secretary-general Seehanat Prayoonrat said his agency would investigate the complaints.
“We will check with banks and insurance companies as to how teachers’ money has been used,” Seehanat said.
“If there is any wrongdoing, legal proceedings will be launched so that the victims can get remedies.”
