Banking and financial services
Banking and financial services policy and regulation
SME Bank deadline extended
The state-run Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank) has pushed back the application deadline for its 15-billion-baht policy loan scheme to the end of June after only a third of the money was taken out. Keep reading ...
Thai policy rate maintained
The Bank of Thailand on 3 February unanimously resolved to maintain the policy rate at 1.50 per cent per annum. Keep reading ...
Thai Government approves B52.82bn budget to join AIIB
The Thai cabinet approved a budget of 52.82 billion baht on 26 January to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank seen as a rival to the US-led World Bank, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said. Keep reading ...
With AIIB, nation diversifies funding options
Though it’s extremely early days, experts this week welcomed Cambodia’s membership to the nascent China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, saying it would provide much-needed diversity of funding for the nation’s infrastructure and connectivity needs. Keep reading ...
China launches new AIIB development bank as power balance shifts
Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a new international development bank seen as a rival to the U.S.-led World Bank at a lavish ceremony on 17 January, as Beijing seeks to change the unwritten rules of global development finance. Despite opposition from Washington, U.S. allies including Australia, ...
Banks to issue more loans despite lower rates
Despite the fact that the Bank of the Laos recently declared a lower interest rate for deposits and loans, many banks in Laos believe the number of depositors and borrowers will not decrease in the years to come. ACLEDA Bank Lao Ltd. is one of several ...
Vietnam weakens dong fixing as it adopts market-based rate
The State Bank of Vietnam reduced the dong’s reference rate for the first time since August, after saying over the weekend that it is moving to a more market-based methodology in setting a daily reference rate versus the dollar. It lowered the fixing by 0.03 percent ...
Bank of Thailand lifts growth forecast for 2015, but trims 2016 estimate
The Bank of Thailand trimmed its 2016 economic growth forecast on Friday, reflecting expectations of zero export growth and suggesting the military government will continue to struggle with a sluggish economy. At the same time, the central bank nudged its growth estimate for this year up ...
China announces formal creation of Asian infrastructure bank
The China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has been formally established and is expected to be operational early next year, and its head reaffirmed the lender will be “lean, clean and green”, Xinhua news agency said on 25 December. The setting up of the bank came after ...
Thai banks inefficient, says S&P
Academics have slammed the military’s iron grip on cyberspace following the 2014 coup. Surveillance and crackdown measures are creating a climate of fear and self-censorship, they argued. Since last year’s coup, the army has taken many steps to tackle content deemed sensitive or critical of the ...
