BANGKOK, 2 March 2014 The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank) is considering assistance measures for SMEs affected by political rallies in Bangkok’s commercial districts. The SMEs who are customers of the bank will be entitled to suspension of debt payments.
The bank would help over 12,000 SMEs in Ratchaprasong, Silom, Siam Square, the Platinum shopping center, Pratu Nam, the Victory Monument and Asok, sources said. The assistance is expected to be similar to that for the SMEs affected by political demonstrations in 2010 which included debt suspension, debt interest payments in installment for 6-12 months and a low interest rate of 4.25%.
The SME Bank’s customers who have been affected by the ongoing political protests in Bangkok own the bank 500,000 baht each on average.
Meanwhile, executive of the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order Tharit Pengdit said the center had agreed to set up a committee to help people and SMEs affected by the rallies. State-run banks would be asked to provide soft loans for the latter, he said.
