Asia Financial Services

The banking sector experienced mixed results in 2017. Although bank loans and asset quality benefitted from the country’s ongoing economic recovery, with operating profits rising as a result, high provisioning costs and preparations for the new accounting standards that take effect in 2020 saw net profits decline for many larger commercial...

The 1997-98 Asian financial crisis saw many leading South-east Asian economies collapse as a result of high levels of foreign debt and rapid capital outflows following a US Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Thailand was among one of the hardest hit, with negative GDP growth of 7.6% at the height of the crisis, pushing many Thai people below...

Once reserved for ambitious start-ups and industry-leading tech operators, financial technology (fintech) has more recently caught the attention of major private sector firms and government planners alike, becoming a regular feature in budget speeches and strategic development plans. As fintech progressively plays a larger part in the lives of...

Under the auspices of Thailand 4.0, which targets economic growth through technology and innovation, the banking industry is slated to undergo major changes. Although banking is not one of Thailand 4.0’s strategic industries, the sector is still expected to benefit from increased deployment of financial technology (fintech).

While the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) was formally established in 2015, financial cooperation across the region remains somewhat fragmented. Goods and services move freely between countries, but banks, stock exchanges and securities companies tend to be limited to their home markets.

The banking sector experienced mixed results in 2017. Although bank loans and asset quality benefitted from the country’s ongoing economic recovery, with operating profits rising as a result, high provisioning costs and preparations for the new accounting standards that take effect in 2020 saw net profits decline for many larger commercial banks....