In Buriram, a female teacher tearfully pays off a 16 million baht debt on behalf of fellow professionals after guaranteeing their loans, but they ultimately defaulted and declared bankruptcy while still living comfortably. She appeals to the Ministry of Education to investigate and find assistance.
On 25 Aug 2026, Mrs. Pimlapas, also known as Teacher Tiew, aged 47, a government teacher at a school in Buriram province, presented documents related to loan agreements, loan guarantees with financial institutions, her employer, and legal filings to seek justice. She had guaranteed loans for five fellow teachers in 2010 when they all taught at a private school, taking turns as guarantors. However, the borrowing teachers defaulted, and in 2022, the bank sued them. The first two teachers sued refused debt restructuring and instead declared bankruptcy to avoid repayment. As a co-guarantor, she has had to bear nearly 1 million baht in debt repayments alone, with monthly salary deductions of 5,900 baht continuing to this day. She is severely burdened, having to pay off her own debts and those of the bankrupt colleagues, leading to accumulated stress and suffering a brain hemorrhage requiring nearly a month of treatment at Buriram and Khon Kaen hospitals. She continues regular medical follow-ups.
In 2025, she received a court summons regarding a third teacher she guaranteed who defaulted and also declared bankruptcy, suing her to repay over 4 million baht. Most recently in 2026, the bank consolidated debts from the borrowing teachers and her own loans from her employer to close the bank loans, suing only her for over 16 million baht including principal and interest. The four teachers she guaranteed declared bankruptcy, leaving her as the sole remaining civil servant responsible. She views this as unfair because although the four teachers declared bankruptcy, they still receive monthly living allowances of 18,000 baht from the property protection office, continue teaching at private schools, some run rental businesses, and live comfortably with their families. Meanwhile, as guarantor, she bears the debt burden, her family struggles financially to cover expenses and children's education, forcing her to borrow money. She is deeply stressed and has occasionally contemplated ending her life but refrains out of concern for her daughter still in school.
Previously, she filed complaints with the Office of the Basic Education Commission, the then Minister of Education, the Private Education Promotion Committee, and the Provincial Education Office seeking assistance, but the matter remained unresolved with no help provided.
Teacher Tiew, with tears and a trembling voice, said that legally, nothing could be done against the four teachers because they declared bankruptcy. However, in reality, they still receive nearly 20,000 baht monthly living allowances and have other income sources. Currently, she and her family face severe hardship. On 9 Sep 2026, she must attend debt negotiation with the property protection office. If no resolution is reached and she is forced into bankruptcy, she will have to leave the teaching profession, lose income, and this will also affect two other guarantors. She appeals to the Ministry of Education to find ways to assist.