Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has mandated state financial institutions to shift their strategies towards economic stimulus, placing profit maximization secondary. In a policy meeting held at GH Bank, Pichai underscored the importance of mobilizing resources to invigorate the economy, specifically tasking the state-owned housing lender with injecting an additional 150 billion baht into the economy during the second half of the year.
This initiative is anticipated to stimulate job creation and sector expansion, with GH Bank's President Kamonpop Veerapala affirming the goal to disburse the additional funds in new loans by the end of 2025. Following a strong performance in the first six months, where over 100 billion baht in new loans were issued, the bank is poised to meet its yearly target of 241.78 billion baht.
In alignment with the government's objectives, GH Bank has introduced four new lending measures aimed at revitalizing the property sector:
Premier Home Loan: Tailored for high-net-worth individuals, financing starts from 7 million baht with an introductory interest rate of 1.79% per annum for the first year.
Repair & Decorate Loans: Designed for homeowners seeking renovations, these loans provide up to 300,000 baht, with the first 100,000 baht at a preferential interest rate of 1.00% per annum and the remaining amount at 1.99% per annum.
Pre-Finance Premium Loan: Targeted at property developers in 27 high-potential provinces, offering a first-year interest rate of 3.90% per annum.
Debtor Assistance Measure (DC3): A 30 billion baht initiative designed to assist customers categorized as 'Special Mention' (SM) with a 0% interest rate for the first six months and minimized monthly repayments set at 1,000 baht.
In addition to launching new loan products, GH Bank is actively supporting customers in financial distress, including those with non-performing loans (NPLs), through the 'You Fight, We Help' programme. This initiative, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Thailand, has attracted over 80,939 accounts in need of assistance, while measures for SM and NPL customers outside the primary program have aided over 373,000 accounts in stabilizing their financial situations, enabling many to keep their homes.
Kamonpop Veerapala emphasized GH Bank's commitment as a state-owned financial institution to prioritize homeownership accessibility over profit. The bank has adjusted its Minimum Retail Rate (MRR) to one of the most competitive in the market and expanded loan tenures to between 80 and 85 years to alleviate financial pressures on borrowers.
The bank's 'GH Bank Financial School' project aims to support low-income individuals or those lacking traditional income documentation in achieving homeownership through a disciplined 12-month savings program via the 'GHB ALL GEN' app, assisting over 50,000 participants thus far in building a track record for future housing loans.
Kamonpop highlighted that GH Bank’s strategies not only aim to inject funds into the economy and assist distressed customers but also seek to establish the institution as a sustainable financial provider going forward.