Thailand

The lender attempts to capture Thailand, which it calls ‘the place’ in Asia for seizing growth opportunities in the region.

The company is optimistic that Asia’s economic growth, while Asian currencies appreciate as against weakening US dollar will drive company’s earnings up.

Yet despite strong loan growth, the bank's net interest margin for the first quarter was 3.14%, below the expected 3.2%.

Phongsavanh became the first private bank in the Lao PDR to provide services for VISA and MasterCard.

BCEL signed an agreement with Pudian Bank of China to facilitate the opening of accounts and simplify currency exchange between the two banks.

The lender is cautiously positive in expanding in China as its central bank tightened banking reserve requirement to avert possible overheating of economy.

Krungthai Bank rolled out an innovative Internet-based banking service under the name KTB netbank.

Bangkok Bank has introduced a special 15-month fixed deposit account offering an interest rate of 3.00 percent per annum, paying interest at the end of the deposit period.

The bank offers higher interest, 0.5 percentage points more than for normal savings accounts, for minimum deposit of $331 to draw pioneer customers.

Bank of China started operating its Phnom Penh Branch, making it the first lender from China in Cambodia. It also became the Kingdom's 30th commercial bank.

Bangkok Bank has recorded a consolidated net profit for the first quarter of 2011 of Baht 6.6 billion.

Krung Thai Bank's profits in the first quarter of 2011 is up 79% to 5,489 million baht.

TMB Bank Public Company Limited earned a net of THB1,096 million from the operations of the Bank and its subsidiaries during the first quarter of 2011.

The lender bank sought to finalize deal for a possible merger in the petrochemical sector worth $2bn.

The lender also plans to issue $990.59mn in bonds to strengthen capital.

Japan's disaster and high uncertainty in the world economy prompted local and foreign investors to focus on short-term bonds.