Thai nursing students demand government expedite delayed student loans

A group of 60 nursing and public health students from Sri Sa Ket and Nakhon Si Thammarat publicly requested the government to expedite the disbursal of their student loans, which has been delayed for several months.

Four representatives from the first-year class of Chalermkarnchana University’s Faculty of Nursing at Sri Sa Ket journeyed to Bangkok to deliver a letter outlining their concerns to the Finance Ministry yesterday, November 29.

Kamonthip Paothong, an analyst of plans and policies at the Finance Ministry, took receipt of the letter. The students expressed their difficulties in securing student loans since the beginning of the academic year.

They highlighted the lack of progress in the loan disbursement process and reported that the Student Loan Fund (SLF) has been unresponsive to their applications. This has raised fear among the students about their ability to finance their course registration.

One of the students, Pattamawan Phanaun, shared her family’s predicament of having to resort to non-mainstream lenders with high interest rates to cover her tuition fees. She called on relevant state bodies to accelerate the approval process for student loans, necessary to ensure her university placement and secure her educational future.

Pattamawan expressed the need for transparency from the SLF, particularly in explaining any issues causing delays in application processing and the potential requirement for additional documents.

Funding shortages

The delay in loan approval has spanned eight months, and applicants now face the possibility of discontinuing their studies due to funding shortages. However, Pattamawan acknowledged the university’s understanding, allowing loan applicants to attend classes and sit examinations. She called on the SLF to expedite the review process, particularly for those with complete application documents.

“The delay could cut short our opportunity to study nursing and serve society.”

She also requested the SLF to investigate why some students were denied loans for the second semester. Similarly, in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 15 first-year students from the Faculty of Public Health at Chalermkarnchana University led by Arphonrat Kongleh submitted a complaint to the provincial Damrongtham Centre over a seven-month delay in loan disbursements under the SLF.

The students and their families, primarily impoverished farmers, are quickly depleting funds necessary to cover tuition fees of approximately 45,000 baht per semester, reported Bangkok Post.

“They applied for the student loan seven months ago and received no reply [from the SLF].”

Centre director, Phatchanan Srimuang, received the complaint.

The students fear for their future education and had hopes of working in local hospitals post-graduation.

With tears in her eyes, Arphonrat revealed her wait for the SLF’s approval of her application.

“I do not have enough money to cover expenses, including tuition and daily costs. My father must work harder to support my studies.”