Krung Thai Bank Revises up 2012 Loan Growth Target; Aims to Grow SME Loans
State-owned Krung Thai Bank PCL (KTB.TH), Thailand’s second-largest commercial bank by assets, has revised its 2012 loan growth target to 8%-10% from 7% previously thanks to solid loan growth of 5% in the first half of this year, bank President Apisak Tantivorawong said Wednesday.
However, lending growth in the latter half of the year could be weighed by the global economic slowdown, which might affect Thai exports and local production, Mr. Apisak told reporters on the sidelines of a business seminar.
The bank has been trying to reduce the proportion of loans to the public sector in its portfolio and increase lending to small and medium enterprises in a bid to improve profitability, Mr. Apisak said.
Lending to the government sector dropped to 15% of total loans at end-June from 18% at the end of last year, he said.
The bank plans to push up the proportion of loans to SMEs to 22%-23% of total loans in two to three years’ time from around 20% at the end of June.
Write to Payungsak Wiriyabunditkul at payungsak.wiriyabunditkul@dowjones.com
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