The People's Party urges the government to urgently resolve the liquidity issues of the Student Loan Fund (กยศ.) by providing emergency budget before students drop out. They suggest negotiating with universities to delay tuition fee collections to prevent students losing status due to inability to pay tuition fees.
On 21 September 2026 at the Parliament building, the People's Party held a press conference following the 13th Shadow Cabinet meeting. Party leader Mr. Natthapong Ruangpanyawut, along with list MPs Ms. Rakchanok Srinok and Mr. Teerasak Jiratrachu, highlighted issues with the Student Loan Fund (กยศ.) and invited representatives of students, parents, and child and youth organizations to share their concerns.
Mr. Prathip Phimsuwan, a student representative affected by the issue, said he has been a กยศ. borrower since vocational college and is now an undergraduate student but was not allocated a loan quota this year. A survey he conducted with over 1,600 respondents found that 45% said if they do not receive loan quotas this year, they will have to drop out, transfer, or suspend their studies until next year.
While problems of debt collection from previous borrowers and liquidity issues of the fund need resolution, the burden should not be passed on to current students. The government should urgently inject funds into the loan fund to assist students for the 2026 academic year, alongside addressing debt issues and reviewing long-term borrowing criteria.
Ms. Phatramanee Pratchyasittikun, a parent representative, said her three children rely on กยศ. for education. The first two could continue borrowing, but her third child was affected by new criteria this year and was classified as a new borrower on a waiting list, despite the family planning education expenses expecting continuous loan support.
For families sending children to study in other provinces, กยศ. covers not only tuition but also dormitory, food, and living expenses. While the government focuses on resolving debt collection from previous borrowers, how will students still waiting for funds and at risk of dropping out be supported?
Mr. Danainan Kruesik, Secretary-General of the National Child and Youth Council of Thailand, said the council has coordinated with over 20 related agencies and higher education networks. They received feedback that กยศ.'s liquidity problems impact both students and universities, requiring efforts to support students unable to pay tuition.
This impact extends beyond finances to student mental health. Educational uncertainty causes some students to lose motivation, drop out, or see no future options, creating additional burdens on agencies responsible for child and youth welfare.
Mr. Phatrawut Yindee, spokesperson for the Thammasat University Student Organization (TUSO), called on universities nationwide to play an active role in immediate solutions with students, including providing scholarships, part-time jobs, or other assistance. Thammasat University plans to meet affected students on 1 October to find ways to help both internally and externally.
Ms. Rakchanok noted that the liquidity issue partly relates to repayment by previous borrowers, but the government should anticipate this and allocate budget accordingly. กยศ. was not designed to rely solely on its own revenue. The problem emerged in 2026, and projections for 2027 show a budget gap of about 7 billion baht, despite over 11.6 billion baht being cut from other budget parts without reallocating funds to กยศ.
The government should inject funds into the loan fund as this money represents students' opportunity to remain in education. On 17 September, Ms. Rakchanok raised a live question to the government about delays in กยศ. approvals and transfers. The government responded that the กยศ. budget for 2027 will increase from 5 billion baht in 2026 to 9 billion baht and assured that new criteria will not affect existing borrowers.
Mr. Teerasak outlined three immediate solutions:
1. The government must clarify by 30 September whether it will allocate central budget to increase loan opportunities for students to prevent universities, especially private ones, from forcing students to lose status due to unpaid tuition fees.
2. The Minister of Finance and the Permanent Secretary of Finance, as กยศ. Board Chairpersons, must firmly assure that no student will lose educational status because of these problems.
3. The Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation must urgently negotiate with public and private universities to delay tuition fee collections until the situation stabilizes and find additional support measures such as part-time jobs, scholarships, and funding sources for affected students.
Mr. Teerasak concluded that กยศ. should communicate borrowing criteria and the situation for the next academic year to high schools in advance so Grade 12 students preparing for university can plan and prepare, avoiding similar problems again next year.