Student loans win boost

The government is to spend 8.5 billion baht to make up for a recent 30-50% cut in Student Loan Fund principal loan amounts for students who choose to study in fields related to 10 targeted and three basic infrastructure industries at universities and vocational schools.

Around 150,000 students are expected to benefit from the subsidy, director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) Lavaron Sangsnit said on Tuesday.

The fund will also only charge students who study in these fields 0.5% per year in interest, compared with the regular rate of 1%, he said.

The 10 targeted S-curve industries are smart cars; smart electronics; medical and wellness tourism; agriculture and biotechnology; food; robotics for industry; high-tech logistics and aviation; biofuels and biochemicals; digital; and medical services. The three basic infrastructure industries are rail, merchant navy, and logistics.

These moves are part of the stimulus measures to shore up the slowing economy, said Mr Lavaron.