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Hi there, I'm Ed Butler.

Welcome to Business Daily from the BBC.

Today, we're looking at an experience that's familiar to millions of people worldwide.

The experience of debt, being in too deep with no prospect of escape. We're hearing from villages in Thailand.

I borrowed 5,000 a month ago, more than month ago, but I still don't have time to pay him yet.

I just hope for cash flow each day. No hope, really. Yeah, no hope.

No.

As a proportion of its GDP,

Thailand has some of the highest rates of consumer debt anywhere in the world.

We're hearing not just about the economic challenges

these people face,

but also from the private money lenders

and the methods that they use to get repaid.

Everybody knows that if I point out at someone and start shouting that that is my last store, I would be like angry and aggressive.

Are you going to pay or not? And they will be afraid of that. Borrowers and lenders in Thailand.

That's Business Daily from the BBC.

Wandering through this village, Ban Pu Yuan, which is about 100 kilometers, maybe north of central Bangkok. It's a rural area. And it's very poor.

Every house next to me seems to be loaded high with junk in their courtyards.

Just stuff that they're gathering, scrap metal, bits of wood for recycling.

The scrap metal, bits of wood for recycling. The scrap metal dealers with their loud speakers drive past collecting the junk, making

deals, just pennies at a time. Further on, I meet a street trader. Her name's Wanna. She's

...