The Education Ministry has moved to ban teachers with debts exceeding half of their salaries from assuming executive positions.
Under the ministry's new regulations, teachers with debts which exceed half of their salaries will be barred from serving as director and/or deputy director of state schools, as well as director of regional Education Service Area Offices, said Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan.
"Having excessive amounts of debt reflects the lack of self-discipline. Someone who earns 50,000 baht a month shouldn't be spending 45,000 baht to repay loans — that's not what a high-ranking officer would do," he said.
According to Mr Nataphol, the regulation has benefits which extend beyond solving the teachers' debt problem.
"The regulation will push teachers to better manage their finances in the future," he said.
In addition to being financially-responsible, the minister said, the ideal school executive must be proficient in languages and technology-literate.