Govt to help 1–2m small-time debtors with moratorium programme soon
Govt to launch debt moratorium for 1–2m small borrowers with debts under 100,000 baht; banks to be compensated for interest during relief period.
The government will soon launch a debt moratorium programme to help around one to two million small-time borrowers from state banks, PM’s Office Minister Paradorn Prissananantakul said on Monday.
Paradorn said details of the scheme would be announced shortly by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas.
Programme details
Paradorn explained that eligible participants must have debts not exceeding 100,000 baht. Between one and two million borrowers are expected to qualify.
He added that the programme would apply to borrowers from state-run banks such as the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, Krungthai Bank, and Government Housing Bank. The government would compensate the banks for interest payments during the moratorium period, though the duration has not yet been specified.
Prime minister’s statement
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul mentioned the debt moratorium while delivering his policy statement to Parliament.
Anutin said debt relief would be one of his government’s 15 urgent policies. He added that the government would support bank debtors owing no more than 100,000 baht and allow SMEs to borrow up to one million baht each to boost liquidity.
