BANGKOK — Thailand’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to set up a national credit guarantee agency to improve loan access, particularly for smaller businesses, a deputy finance minister said on Tuesday.
The agency will provide financial risk guarantees for smaller firms seeking loans from banks, Paopoom Rojanasakul said in a statement.
The central bank has said Thailand needs to urgently improve credit access for small and medium businesses (SMEs), which are key for the economy, which is lagging regional peers.
Less than half of Thailand’s 3.2 million SMEs have access to loans from financial institutions, according to the central bank.
The finance ministry and the central bank will draft a law to form the agency, which is expected to take no more than six months, Paopoom said.
In June, the Cabinet approved credit guarantees worth 50 billion baht ($1.42 billion) for SMEs to access loans.
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