BOT: NPL size in May remains stable at 5.5%

BANGKOK, 6 July 2009 (NNT) – The Bank of Thailand (BOT) reported local commercial banks’ proportion of non-performing loans (NPLs) against total debts in May remained stable at 5.5 percent from the first quarter of 2009 following their write-off and continued efforts to sell off debts.

The BOT’s Senior Director Nawaporn Maharagkaga added the banks’ debt outstanding for one month but not over three months in May 2009 also remained stable at 3.8 percent, compared with the figure of 4.0 percent in the first quarter of 2009. She said the NPLs had different sizes in many different sectors.

According to Ms Nawaporn, the increasing size of NPLs was seen in the industrial sector at 9.6 percent, higher from 9.0 percent in the first quarter; in the commercial sector at 6.5 percent, higher from 6.4 percent; and in the service sector at 8.0 percent, higher from 7.8 percent.

She added that the decrease of NPLs size was seen in the construction sector in May at 12.0 percent, lower from 13.0 percent in the first quarter this year; in the real estate sector at 11.2 percent, lower from 11.6 percent; the infrastructure sector at 3.0 percent, lower from 3.3 percent; and personal and housing loans at 4.0 percent, lower from 4.1 percent. ?