Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking is launching its new version this year with a “Same, same but different because we understand you better” concept and introducing six video clips to create a friendlier experience for customers. The new version not only showcases outstanding features on the platform to respond to customers’ functional and emotional needs, but also creates closer, easier and more relevant access for a growing number of users and new generations, with the Bank’s aim to increase its user base to more than 13 million users.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Prassanee Ouiyamaphan said Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking had a major design revamp mid-last year, becoming more modern and user-friendly to support user behavior in the New Normal and provide an enhanced experience to users. New features have been added to ensure that the platform understands and fulfills user needs and experiences, as well as comprehensively accommodates various financial transactions. The platform offers a wide variety of investment features for investors and privileges and promotions to help users achieve digital lifestyles in line with the needs of all user groups.

In addition to fulfilling functional needs for all groups of users by enhancing the platform’s capabilities, Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking version 2021 also offers customer-centric storytelling through six videos to communicate with customers. The “Same, same but different because we understand you better” concept intends to reach out to the younger generation and wider audiences to generate awareness and brand engagement on both functional and emotional dimensions.

The story in the videos positions Bangkok Bank with a more friendly and understanding image for its customers, using funny storytelling to meet the preferences of Thai people, especially the new generation, to get more acceptance and engagement from content sharing. There are a total of six videos, divided into five short feature videos and one hero video. The feature videos focus on building awareness and learning of features on the Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking app such as withdrawal and transfer, top up and payment, investments, rewards redemptions and online account opening. The hero video under the concept of “Same, same but different because we understand you better” aims to encourage users to get started on the app with the hashtag saying “#TryItNow” at the end of the clip. The hero video focuses on the Bank’s specific target groups, along with communication through both online and offline channels such as out of home channels in strategic areas that can reach a wide range of customers to make communications most effective.

“As a “trusted partner”, Bangkok Bank has always focused on listening and striving to create the greatest satisfaction for its customers. Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking has been continuously in development to fulfill customer experiences and support today’s digital lifestyles. We are also adding more features to answer all needs, and adjusting the design to be easy to use and convenient to reach out to users and expand to new customer groups, especially the younger generation and those in provincial areas. At present, the Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking app has more than 10 million users and is expected to grow 30% by the end of this year, bringing the number of users to 13 million with an increasing proportion of the younger generation from 31.1% to 40%, enabling us to expand our user base across the country. According to the number of mobile banking transactions in February, the proportion of usage among customers in the Bangkok area accounted for 43.7%, while usage in upcountry areas accounted for 56.3%. This shows continuity and reflects our ability to continually expand our services and user base,” concluded Mrs. Prasanee.

Those interested to watch “Bangkok Bank Mobile Bangkok, change to understand you better” video clips, please visit Bangkok Bank’s YouTube channel. For other Bangkok Bank information, please visit our channels including Bangkok Bank website, Bangkok Bank LINE Official, or call 1333 or 0 2645 5555.

 

Bangkok Bank Director and Senior Executive Vice President Suvarn Thansathit said the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic affecting economic recovery and additional uncertainties have had widespread impact on businesses, with some expecting it will take several years before operations recover to their pre-Covid level. Bangkok Bank is ready to provide additional assistance to businesses in response to the BOT and Finance Ministry’s measures in two areas as follows:

1. Soft Loan Facility aims to increase liquidity for affected businesses while helping their operations recover. Existing customers with a credit line of no more than 500 million baht can seek additional loans of no more than 30% of the credit line as of February 28, 2021. The total cannot be more than 150 million baht when combined with the loan from the previous scheme. New customers who have no credit line with any financial institutions can obtain loans of up to 20 million baht. Credit lines from all financial institutions are taken into account.
   
   During the first five years, an average interest rate of no more than 5% per year will be charged with an annual interest rate of 2% during the first two years and an interest subsidy by the Finance Ministry for the first six months. Bangkok Bank waives relevant fees in applying for the loan to support businesses in overcoming this difficult situation.
   
   In addition, Thai Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCG) will provide loan guarantees for all borrowers with a fee of 1.75% per year while the government will provide a subsidy for part of the fee.
   
   
2. Asset Warehousing aims to alleviate financial pressure of viable businesses affected by Covid-19 which require a long time to recover by enabling them to transfer their collateral as repayment to the Bank at the agreed price. Businesses may lease their assets from the Bank to continue operations at the agreed price and have the first rights to repurchase their collateral after 3-5 years.

Mr. Suvarn added that providing businesses with liquidity to continue their operations will have a positive impact on the overall economy as well as supporting employment.

Over the past year dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand, Bangkok Bank has continuously released supportive measures to help mitigate their impact on various customer groups while standing ready to play a part in ensuring that customers and businesses have access to government assistance measures. This emphasizes the Bank’s status as a trusted partner who stays close to customers to survive and thrive in a crisis together.

Business owners interested in participating in these measures or other measures of the Bank can contact the Bank’s relationship officers, branches or business centers or look for more information from Bangkok Bank channels including Bangkok Bank website, Bangkok Bank LINE Official or call Bualuang Phone 1333 or 0 2645 5555.

 

Bangkok Bank has become a pioneer in providing international funds transfer via PromptPay International between Thailand and Singapore. Customers can simply use a mobile phone number registered with PromptPay/PayNow to send and receive funds in real time on a 24-hour basis. A special fee of only 75 baht/transaction is available from April 26 to July 31, 2021. Meanwhile, the Bank is committed to improving its services to reinforce its position as a leading regional bank.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Pornnit Dunnvatanachit said Bangkok Bank has joined other pioneering banks in providing international funds transfer via PromptPay International between Thailand and Singapore to facilitate customers wanting to send or receive funds between Thailand and Singapore quickly and securely. Customers can simply use a mobile phone number registered with PromptPay (Thailand) or PayNow (Singapore) to make transactions 24 hours a day via Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking. Recipients will receive the full amount of funds instantly. Bangkok Bank has also been selected as the Settlement Bank for PromptPay International service between Thailand and Singapore.

“This service is another major collaboration between the central banks of Thailand and Singapore as well as leading commercial banks in each country. It aims to provide more convenience to people in their international transactions, and requires less paperwork. Customers can simply use a mobile phone number registered with PromptPay/PayNow to make transactions. This meets the financial needs of retail customers in the digital era as they can transfer funds to their friends, purchase goods or pay for educational fees and other expenses. At the same time, Singaporeans working in Thailand or Thais working in Singapore can transfer funds to their families. Retail customers can conveniently and swiftly make transactions with much cheaper international funds transfer fees.”

Customers can make a funds transfer to Singapore via PromptPay on Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking by logging in and choosing “International Funds Transfer” then “PromptPay International”. Follow the transfer instructions and enter the recipient’s mobile number registered with PayNow. Customers can select the transfer amount in Thai baht (THB) or in Singapore dollar (SGD) with a daily transfer limit of 1,000 SGD. Once customers have reviewed and confirmed the transaction with their mobile PIN, the money will be transferred to the recipient instantly and an e-Slip will be generated as proof of transfer.

To make an international funds transfer via PromptPay to a mobile number in Singapore, the number must be registered with PayNow at selected Singaporean banks. At present, three Singaporean banks, namely DBS Bank (DBS), Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) and United Overseas Bank (UOB) have participated in the collaboration.

For international funds transfer from Singapore via PromptPay between April 26 to July 31, 2021, there will be a special rate of fee of only 75 baht/transaction (normally 150 baht/transaction).

Under the collaboration, customers who hold deposit accounts at any of the three aforementioned banks in Singapore are able to transfer funds to recipients in Thailand via a mobile number registered with Bangkok Bank PromptPay instead of specifying a bank account number. The recipients will receive the full amount of money in Thai baht in real time from Singapore on a 24-hour basis. Those who want to register with Bangkok Bank PromptPay can do so instantly via Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking as well as other electronic channels.

“Bangkok Bank is committed to continuously improving its financial services to facilitate both Thai and international customers, particularly transactions via digital and electronic channels that are in line with customer behavior. For instance, it is the first Thai bank to act as a settlement bank for international transactions to provide cross border QR payment services between Thailand and Vietnam. The Bank’s move to provide international funds transfer services via PromptPay reinforces its position as the leading regional bank going forward,” said Mrs. Pornnit. 

Since the beginning of the year the Thai economy has been expanding at a slower pace as Thailand has been experiencing a new wave of Covid-19 infections and tighter restrictions on economic activities in some parts of the country. However, Thailand’s exports have continued to recover in line with global economic outlook on the back of rapid vaccination rollout and continuing policy stimulus, especially in advanced economies. Thailand continues to face challenges in the tourism sector given the uncertainty over the timing of border reopening in the second half of 2021. In the coming quarters, the Thai economic outlook will depend on how well it is able to contain the pandemic, as well as the effectiveness of the vaccination rollout. Moreover, the government’s nationwide cash handouts should partially support household spending in the coming months.

The Thai economy will take some time to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recovery in each economic sector will occur at a different pace. The government and the Bank of Thailand have continuously introduced various measures to support businesses and people dealing with different issues, help business operators adjust to the post Covid-19 new normal, and assist Thailand’s economic recovery. The Bank understands the current challenging situation that businesses and customers are facing and continues to support its customers and provide them with appropriate assistance. Moreover, the Bank has also placed importance on prudent risk management while maintaining strong financial stability, liquidity and capital positions.

Bangkok Bank and its subsidiaries delivered first quarter net profit of Baht 6,923 million

The Bank and its subsidiaries reported a net profit of Baht 6,923 million, increased by Baht 4,525 million from the last quarter of 2020. Net interest income increased by 2.3 percent due to funding cost management. The net interest margin stood at 2.17 percent. Net fees and service income rose by 15.4 percent mainly from higher fee income from mutual funds and bancassurance, and securities business. Operating expenses decreased, resulting in a cost to income ratio of 51.1 percent. The level of expected credit losses was set at Baht 6,326 million in line with the Bank’s continuous prudent management.

Bangkok Bank continues to maintain a healthy financial position, as well as high liquidity and capital positions, under its prudent management approach to supporting Thailand’s economic recovery during uncertain times

At the end of March 2021, the Bank’s total loans amounted to Baht 2,369,276 million, same level as at the end of 2020. The non-performing loan (NPL) ratio was 3.7 percent, slightly declined from the end of December 2020. The Bank continues to closely control of credit underwriting and risk management. The ratio of loan loss reserves to non-performing loans was 187.3 percent.

In terms of liquidity, as of March 31, 2021, the Bank’s deposits amounted to Baht 2,904,276 million, an increase of 3.3 percent from the end of December 2020, from all types of deposits. The loan to deposit ratio was 81.6 percent, reflecting adequate liquidity to cushion against economic uncertainties.

In terms of capital, as of March 31, 2021, the Bank’s total capital adequacy ratio, Tier 1 capital adequacy ratio and Common Equity Tier 1 capital adequacy ratio of the Bank and its subsidiaries were 18.4 percent, 15.9 percent and 15.1 percent respectively, comfortably above the Bank of Thailand’s minimum capital requirements.

Bangkok Bank has increased its safety measures in response to Covid-19 by organizing a big cleaning during the Songkran holidays in areas with a large number of employees in its Head Office, Rama 3 Building, Tritip Building, Saengthong Thani Tower and Building 3. The cleaning took place after the annual general meeting of shareholders on April 12, 2021. The Bank has also launched additional measures to reduce risks from the new wave of Covid-19 such as changes in branch closing times, scaling back service channels, reducing the number of customers in a branch, and adjusting the proportion of staff working from home to focus on the safety of customers and employees. The Bank is also encouraging customers to opt for online services which are convenient, safe and available on a 24-hour basis.

Bangkok Bank Director and Executive Vice President Thaweelap Rittapirom said that the current Covid-19 outbreak has resulted in large numbers of infected persons. The Bank prioritizes the safety of its customers and therefore has introduced preventive measures to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission, in line with the guidelines and standards issued by the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health.

The Bank organized a big cleaning day that saw disinfectant spraying in the areas with many working staff in five buildings, including the Head Office (floor 1-30), Trithip Building (floor 1, 3 and 6), Building 3 on Silom Road, Saengthong Thani Tower (floor B, 1-2 and 23-32) on Sathorn Road, and Rama 3 Building (all areas) on Rama 3 Road. The cleaning took place during the Songkran holidays from April 13-15, 2021, with a particular focus on the Head Office where the annual general meeting of shareholders was held on April 12, 2021, and will allow employees to return to work and customers to use the Bank’s services knowing that they will be safe from the spread of Covid-19.

“Branches or offices that have staff or customers infected with Covid-19 were temporarily closed for cleaning and disinfectant spraying according to measures of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health as soon as they received confirmation. Staff who had close contact with infected persons were tested and self-quarantined at home immediately for the period specified by the Ministry of Public Health. In addition, the Bank has arranged to have employees who are not in contact with infected persons to perform their duties at present.”

Mr. Thaweelap added that the Bank has implemented additional measures to reduce risks from Covid-19 such as a change in the service hours of bank branches nationwide. Branches that have a closing time of 16.00 hrs. and 16.30 hrs. will be closed at 15.30 hrs. while those that have a closing time after 17.00 hrs. will be closed at 17.00 hrs., effective today (April 16, 2021) until further notice. At the same time, the Bank as put limits on service channels and the number of customers allowed inside a branch at one time, ensuring that they are able to follow proper social distancing in accordance with the announcement of the Thai Bankers' Association. These measures will be implemented together with other protocols such as partition arrangement, body temperature measurement, hand sanitizer and QR code scanning to record service usage. The Bank understands that these measures may cause some delay in service, and therefore recommends that customers opt for online services such as Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking, Bualuang iBanking, ATM and CDM, which are available on a 24-hour basis. In addition, customers can also use the service through other channels such as Bualuang Phone 1333 or 0 2645 5555, Banking Agents at Tesco Lotus and 7-Eleven and QR Code Payment services.

“The Bank has raised the proportion of staff working from home and strictly followed Split Site / Split Team guidelines in parallel with other preventive measures. The Bank has also encouraged the use of online channels for operations and meetings. With this new wave, the Bank needs to increase the intensity of its safety measures, so we have asked all our staff to raise their guard against Covid-19 and remain consistent and disciplined. At the same time, the Bank is working hard to properly manage the situation so that we can continue to serve our customers, while minimizing the impact on service and ensuring that we are a “trusted partner” for customers at all times, especially in this difficult situation. Many of the Bank’s measures may cause inconvenience to some customers so we would like to take this opportunity to apologize to them,” said Mr. Thaweelap.

The Bank prioritizes the safety of our customers, staff, families and the public by strictly complying with the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

For those who want to check the list of bank branches that are temporarily closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19, please visit Bangkok Bank website to read related announcements and check other information about Bangkok Bank’s public relations at various channels such as Bangkok Bank LINE Official. For more information, please contact Bualuang Phone at 1333 or 0 2645 5555.

Bangkok Bank confirmed that seven employees have tested positive for Covid-19. Details are as follows:

1. One employee works at the Trade Services Department located on the 4^th floor of the Head Office, where the unit is not in direct contact with general customers. The infection was confirmed by the doctor on April 9, 2021. Transmission was likely due to close contact with a friend from outside the Bank who later tested positive for Covid-19. The employee and the friend travelled outside of Bangkok together from April 3-6, 2021. The employee currently has a high fever and is under a doctor’s supervision. The employee did not meet or serve any bank customers outside of the Head Office since April 3, 2021.
   
   
2. One employee works in the New Project unit under the Technology Department located on the 9^th floor of Rama 3 building, where the unit is not in direct contact with customers. The infection was confirmed by the doctor on April 10, 2021. Transmission was likely due to close contact with a friend from outside the Bank who later tested positive for Covid-19. The employee and the friend had a meal together on April 3, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision with a cough with phlegm and no fever.
   
   
3. One employee works at the Corporate Banking’s Telecommunications unit, located on the 11^th floor of the Head Office, where the area is not in direct contact with customers. The infection was confirmed by the doctor on April 11, 2021. Transmission was likely due to close contact with a friend from outside the Bank who later tested positive for Covid-19. The employee and the friend had dinner together on April 2, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms. The employee did not meet or serve any bank customers outside of the Head Office since April 3, 2021.
   
   
4. One employee works at the Japanese Corporate Department, Corporate Banking unit located on the 10^th floor of the Head Office, where the area is not in direct contact with customers. The infection was confirmed by the doctor on April 11, 2021. Transmission was likely due to close contact with a person who later tested positive for Covid-19 during a party. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms. The employee did not meet or serve any bank customers outside of the Head Office in compliance with the unit’s preventive measures against Covid-19 since the beginning of April 2021.
   
   
5. One employee works at the Business Center, located on the 2^nd floor of Rama 2 Road Km.7 branch building, where it did not have direct contact with general customers. The infection was confirmed by the doctor on April 11, 2021. Transmission was likely due to close contact with a friend from outside the bank who later tested positive for Covid-19. The employee and the friend had a meal together in a restaurant in Kaset Nawamin on April 3, 2021. It was later known there was an infected customer at the same restaurant. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms. The Bank notified customers who received service from the aforementioned Business Center on April 5, 7 and 8, 2021 to self-quarantine for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health or get a Covid test at a hospital.
   
   
6. One employee works in the Consumer Banking unit at the Si Phraya Road branch has tested positive for Covid-19. The confirmation by the doctor was made on April 11, 2021, with transmission likely from close contact with a friend outside the Bank who was later confirmed to have Covid-19. The employee and the friend had meals together during a holiday outside of Bangkok from April 5-9, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms. The Bank notified one customer who received direct service from the infected employee and other customers receiving services at the Si Phraya Road branch on April 9, 2021 to self-quarantine for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health or get a Covid test at a hospital.
   
   
7. One employee works in the Phone Banking Center located in Tri Busaya 3 Room on the 3^rd floor of Rama 3 building. The infection was confirmed by the doctor on April 12, 2021. Transmission was likely due to the employee having dinner at a restaurant in Bang Chak on April 5, 2021. It was later known that the restaurant’s owner and some customers were infected with Covid-19. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms. The employee served customers through the Bank’s phone banking system without meeting customers or providing face-to-face customer service.

In response to these cases, the Bank has implemented strict measures to prevent spread of the virus and ensure its employees’ safety in accordance with regulations of the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Public Health as follows:

1. Temporarily closed the areas of the Trade Services Department on the 4^th floor, the Japanese Corporate Department under the Corporate Banking unit on the 10^th floor, the Corporate Banking’s Telecommunications unit on the 11^th floor of the Head Office on Silom Road, the New Project unit under the Technology Department on the 9^th floor and Tri Busaya 3 Room on the 3^rd floor of Rama 3 building as well as the business center on the 2^nd floor of Rama 2 Road Km.7 branch and Si Phraya Road branch to sanitize and disinfect in accordance with measures of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health.
2. Asked all employees who worked closely with the infected employees to get a Covid test at a hospital and to self-quarantine at home immediately for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health.
3. Notified customers who received services at the above locations to self-quarantine at home for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health or get a Covid test at a hospital.

The Bank prioritizes the health and safety of its customers, employees and families as well as the public by implementing strict measures in accordance with the Public Health Ministry’s hygiene standards to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19, especially when it comes to providing customer service. Throughout the pandemic, the Bank has implemented strict measures consisting of social distancing, partitioned counters at branches, and asking staff to consistently follow preventive measures including wearing face masks, social distancing and hand washing to ensure safety for society as a whole. These preventive measures are part of the Bank’s commitment to be a trusted partner to get through this crisis together.

Reference is made to Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited’s schedule for the 28^th Annual Ordinary Meeting of Shareholders (the Meeting) on April 12, 2021 at 15:00 hrs. at the Head Office, 333 Silom Road, Silom Sub-district, Bang Rak District, Bangkok.

The Bank wishes to advise that Covid-19 is currently spreading more widely with increasing clusters of people becoming infected from public gatherings. The Bank is concerned about this and places the utmost importance on the health and hygiene of shareholders and all parties attending the Meeting in accordance with the aforementioned schedule. The Bank has, therefore, established measures and guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in addition to the measures and guidelines that were notified to shareholders together with the invitation to the Meeting. The Bank will limit the number of seats for attendees to a maximum of 300 seats to ensure attendees maintain social distancing to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19. When all of the seats have been occupied, no more attendees will be allowed entry to the Meeting. In order to maintain the voting rights of shareholders, the Bank will ask any shareholders who are not allowed entry to the Meeting to appoint an independent director as their proxy to attend the Meeting on their behalf and cast their votes according to their intention.

In addition, the Bank requests all attendees to strictly comply with measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as listed below:

1. Must meet the temperature requirement after being tested by the Thermoscan set by the Bank at the screening point at the entrance of the Head Office. Those with a temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius or over will not be allowed to enter the building.
2. Must register via Thaichana application before entering the building.
3. Must fill in the self-screening form before entering the building. If the attendees have symptoms such as a fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, or are in close contact with those who travelled to or visited any risky places according to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Health, they will not be allowed to enter the building and will be asked to strictly follow the advice of medical staff at the screening point.
4. Must wear a face mask at all times during the meeting and clean their hands with the alcohol gel provided by the Bank at various points.

Regarding the media, if they are shareholders, they can attend the meeting by following the aforementioned measures and practices. It is necessary for the Bank to increase measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 for everyone’s safety. Therefore, the Bank would ask the media to refrain from conducting media meetings or interviews with the Board of Directors and executives. The Bank would like to take this opportunity to apologize for the inconvenience.

Due to the implementation of Covid-19 preventative measures which are in line with the authorities’ regulations, shareholders and proxyholders might not experience the same level of convenience that they have experienced at previous meetings. Please note that the Bank will refrain from giving souvenirs, snacks, and beverages to the attendees.

Bangkok Bank confirmed that two employees of the Bank have tested positive for Covid-19. Transmission was likely due to close contact with a friend from outside the Bank. Details are as follows.

1. One employee working at the Corporate Finance Department located on the 14^th floor of the Head Office, where the employee did not have direct contact with customers. The infection was confirmed by the doctor on April 8, 2021.

Investigation of this employee’s symptoms and travel records showed that the employee traveled to meet a friend from outside the Bank at the friend’s house in Bangna on April 3, 2021. On April 5, 2021, the employee came to work at the Corporate Finance Department located on 14^th floor at the Bank’s Head Office building without any symptoms. The employee took a day off on April 7, 2021 and was informed by the friend with whom they met on April 3, 2021 that the friend had Covid-19. The employee went to the hospital for testing and received a positive diagnosis for Covid-19 on April 8, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision with mild cough and aches and does not show severe symptoms.

The Bank has strictly implemented measures to prevent spread of the virus and ensure its employees’ safety in accordance with regulations of the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Public Health as follows:

1. Temporarily closed the Corporate Finance Department, 14^th floor, Head Office building, to sanitize and disinfect the area in accordance with measures of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health.
2. Asked all employees who worked closely with the infected employee to get a Covid-19 test of which results are pending, and to self-quarantine at home immediately for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health.
3. Notified one customer who received service from an employee working closely with the infected employee and asked the customer to consider getting a test at a hospital or self-quarantining for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health.

The infected employee did not meet or service any customers in his department.

2. One employee working at the Big C Srinakarin branch was confirmed to have Covid-19 by the doctor on April 9, 2021.

Investigation of this employee’s symptoms and travel records showed that on the evening of April 4, 2021, the employee met and had dinner with a friend from outside the Bank at the employee’s home. The employee stayed home all day as part of their weekly time off on April 5, 2021. On April 6-7, 2021, the employee came to work at the Big C Srinakarin branch without any symptoms and was informed by the friend with whom they had dinner on April 4, 2021 that the friend was infected with Covid-19. On the same day, the employee went to the hospital for testing and immediately self-quarantined at home. On April 8, 2021, the employee was told by the hospital the test was negative, before receiving confirmation that they tested positive for Covid-19 on April 9, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms.

Regarding this case, the Bank has strictly implemented measures to prevent spread of the virus and ensure its employees’ safety in accordance with regulations of the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Public Health as follows:

1. Temporarily closed the Big C Srinakarin branch for three days from April 10-12, 2021 to sanitize and disinfect the area in accordance with measures of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health. Customers needing banking services can visit a nearby branch at Tesco Lotus Srinakarin.
2. Asked all employees who worked closely with the infected employee to get a Covid test at a hospital and to self-quarantine at home immediately for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health.
3. Notified customers who received service at the Big C Srinakarin branch on April 6-7, 2021 to self-quarantine at home for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health or get a Covid test at a hospital.

The Bank prioritizes the health and safety of its customers, employees and families as well as the public by implementing strict measures in accordance with the Public Health Ministry’s hygiene standards to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19, especially when it comes to providing customer service. Throughout the pandemic, the Bank has implemented strict measures consisting of social distancing, partitioned counters at branches, and asking staff to consistently follow preventive measures including wearing face masks, social distancing and hand washing to ensure safety for society as a whole. These preventive measures are part of the Bank’s commitment to be a trusted partner to get through this crisis together.

Bangkok Bank confirmed that an employee of the Bank working in the Consumer Banking Unit responsible for organizing a marketing booth at the Big C Tiwanon branch has tested positive for Covid-19. The confirmation by the doctor was made on April 8, 2021.

Investigation of this employee’s symptoms and travel records showed that after leaving work on April 3, 2021, the employee had dinner with a friend from outside the Bank at a restaurant in Ratchapruk. On April 4, 2021, the employee participated in a marketing event at Big C Tiwanon branch an entire day without any symptoms. The employee stayed home all day as part of their weekly time off from April 5-6, 2021. On the evening of April 6, 2021, the employee was informed by the friend with whom they had dinner on April 3, 2021 that the friend was infected with Covid-19. The next morning, the employee went to the hospital for testing and received a positive diagnosis for Covid-19 on April 8, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms.

The Bank has strictly implemented measures to prevent spread of the virus and ensure its employees’ safety in accordance with regulations of the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Public Health as follows:

1. Temporarily closed the Big C Tiwanon branch for six days from April 8-13, 2021 to sanitize and disinfect the area in accordance with measures of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health. Customers needing banking services can visit a nearby branch at Tesco Lotus Pongpetch.
2. Asked all employees who worked closely with the infected employee to get a Covid-test at a hospital and to self-quarantine at home immediately for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health.
3. Notified customers who received service from the employee, and customers who visited the Big C Tiwanon branch on April 4, 2021, to self-quarantine at home for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health or get tested for Covid-19 at a hospital.

The Bank prioritizes the health and safety of its customers, employees and families as well as the public by implementing strict measures in accordance with the Public Health Ministry’s hygiene standards to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19, especially when it comes to providing customer service. Throughout the pandemic, the Bank has implemented strict measures consisting of social distancing, partitioned counters at branches, and asking staff to consistently follow preventive measures including wearing face masks, social distancing and hand washing to ensure safety for society as a whole. These preventive measures are part of the Bank’s commitment to be a trusted partner to get through this crisis together.

 

Bangkok Bank Director and Executive Vice President Dr. Thaweelap Rittapirom (5th from left) and other executives and staff visited the Veterans General Hospital to hold recreational activities for injured veterans, police officers and volunteers who have made sacrifices for the nation. The event is in tribute to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on the auspicious occasion of HRH’s birthday on April 2. Veterans General Hospital Deputy Director Dr. Worakit Withayawanitkul (7th from right) welcomed Bangkok Bank executives and staff as they donated money, gifts, and necessities to injured veterans, police officers and volunteers to support them during the Covid-19 situation at the Veterans General Hospital Vibhavadi Rangsit.

Bangkok Bank confirmed that one of the Bank’s employees working in the Japanese Corporate, Corporate Banking unit, located on the 3^rd floor of the Head Office building tested positive for Covid-19 on April 6, 2021. The employee and the aforementioned unit are not in direct contact with customers visiting the 1^st and 2^nd floors of the Bank’s Head Office.

Investigation of this employee’s symptoms and travel records showed that the employee had dinner in Thonglor on March 30, 2021 and worked at the Bank’s Head Office building without any symptoms until April 5, 2021. Following news on the Covid-19 infections in Thonglor, the employee proactively went to the hospital for testing and received a positive diagnosis for Covid-19 on April 6, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms.

The Bank has implemented measures to prevent spread of the virus and ensure its employees’ safety in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Public Health as follows:

1. Temporarily closed the Japanese Corporate, Corporate Banking unit, 3^rd floor, Head Office building, to sanitize and clean the area, as well as spray disinfectant on the 3^rd floor in accordance with measures of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health.
2. Asked all employees who worked closely with the infected employee to self-quarantine at home immediately for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health.

During March 30 - April 5, 2021, the employee was not in direct contact with any customers requesting services from the Japanese Corporate team.

The Bank prioritizes the health and safety of its customers, employees and families as well as the public by implementing strict measures in accordance with the Public Health Ministry’s hygiene standards to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19, especially when it comes to providing customer service. Throughout the pandemic, the Bank has implemented strict measures consisting of social distancing, partitioned counters at branches, and asking staff to consistently follow preventive measures including wearing face masks, social distancing and hand washing to ensure safety for society as a whole. These preventive measures are part of the Bank’s commitment to be a trusted partner to get through this crisis together.

Bangkok Bank confirmed that one of the Bank’s employees working at the collateral and mortgage center located on the 3^rd floor of Phlaplachai office building in Bangkok tested positive for Covid-19 today (April 2, 2021), with transmission likely from a close contact outside the Bank.

The Bank has implemented measures to prevent spread of the virus and ensure its employees’ safety in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Public Health as follows:

1. Temporarily closed the collateral and mortgage center, 3^rd floor, Phlaplachai office building, to sanitize and clean the area, as well as spray disinfectant in the whole building in accordance with measures of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health.
2. Asked all employees who worked closely with the infected employee to self-quarantine at home immediately for the standard period specified by the Ministry of Public Health.
3. Notified customers who received service from the employee during March 19 - April 1, 2021, so that they can get tested for Covid-19 at the hospital or quarantine themselves for 14 days.

Investigation of this employee’s symptoms and travel records showed that the employee came to work at the collateral and mortgage center, 3^rd floor, Phlapphachai Building, without any symptoms. On April 1, 2021, the employee was informed by a friend, who is not a bank staff, that they were infected with Covid-19. As such, the employee went to the hospital for testing and received a positive diagnosis for Covid-19 on April 2, 2021. The employee is currently under a doctor’s supervision and does not show severe symptoms.

The Bank prioritizes the health and safety of its customers, employees and families as well as the public by implementing strict measures in accordance with the Public Health Ministry’s hygiene standards to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19, especially when it comes to providing customer service. Throughout the pandemic, the Bank has implemented strict measures consisting of social distancing, partitioned counters at branches, and asking staff to consistently follow preventive measures including wearing face masks, social distancing and hand washing to ensure safety for society as a whole. These preventive measures are part of the Bank’s commitment to be a trusted partner to get through this crisis together.

Bangkok Bank has become the first bank to successfully provide cross-border QR payments between Thailand and Vietnam after cooperation between the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV). The strength of the service lies in its safe and convenient transactions as well as its lower exchange rate fees. In addition, QR payments support a large number of retailers and has high customer awareness. As of now the Bank is waiting for Thailand to open up to tourists in order to roll out the service with an emphasis on creating a good experience for customers.

Bangkok Bank Executive Director Charamporn Jotikasthira revealed that Bangkok Bank is the first bank and the settlement bank to provide a cross-border QR payment service between Thailand and Vietnam. Under the cooperation between the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the first-of-its kind service features a financial innovation which uses a QR code to pay for products and services that will help to develop the payment connection between these two countries. This service provides great convenience while creating a positive experience and helps reduce international financial costs. At the same time, the service helps develop the payment ecosystem and supports the financial infrastructure between regions so that they will be more financially integrated.

With this cross-border QR payment service customers can use the Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking application to scan and pay for goods in Vietnam*, while customers of Vietnam banks that participate in the service can pay for products and services in Thailand with their respective bank apps. This service is safe and convenient, allowing customers to pay in their home currency with lower exchange rate fees than they would get by paying by credit or debit card.

QR payments have been widely used and are an important tool in receiving payments for merchants as it can significantly help increase sales for the store. For example, merchants will not miss out on sales opportunities if customers do not carry enough cash to make purchases. Customers or consumers have also become highly familiar with the process and prefer to pay using a QR code. Therefore, many stores support this type of payment. In the first phase, merchants in Vietnam that accept Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking's QR payment will be those in tourist destinations or economic centers such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Mui Ne, as well as leading local coffee shops in Vietnam.

Mr. Charamporn said that in addition to being convenient and having lower exchange rate fees due to the higher number of merchants that support the QR payment system, consumer behavior has changed dramatically, and they are now more familiar with digital payment systems due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, the volume of e-payment transactions in 2020, including QR code payments, reached 13.39 million**, up by 49.14% from the previous year. Therefore, we believe that when economic activities resume and cross-border travel and tourism gradually recover, the cross-border QR payment service will definitely play an important role in supporting economic activities during the recovery period.

“In the initial stage, cross-border QR payments will meet the needs of specific groups such as Vietnamese who are working in Thailand or Thais who are working in Vietnam, including online shopping between countries, etc. We believe that in the future when the Covid-19 situation eases, overseas travel will resume and regional travel will start first, particularly in countries that have efficient systems to manage and control the spread of Covid-19, such as Thailand and Vietnam. Therefore, we are confident that the cross-border QR payment service via Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking will expand quickly and be available for wider use in the future."

Mr. Charamporn added that the effort to develop cross-border QR payments via Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking reflects the awareness of all related parties of the need to accelerate the development of technology to enhance service efficiency and connect international financial ecosystems throughout the region under the same standards with the support of Thailand’s financial institutions’ regulator, the BOT. At the same time, this cooperation also reflects our commitment as a trusted partner who is ready to stand by our customers and deliver a good experience to customers at every touchpoint, which is one of the Bank's key growth strategies and in line with our vision of being a regional bank.


*Vietnam banks joining cross-border QR Payment in the initial stage are Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank) and Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV)
**Source: The Bank of Thailand

 

Bangkok Bank Senior Executive Vice President Kanit Si, Senior Vice President – International Banking Siriwan Surakomol and Senior Vice President – Corporate Banking Anchalee Charoenkul, on behalf of the Bank, received three awards from The Asset Triple A Sustainable Capital Markets Country & Regional Awards 2020 by The Asset, a leading Asian financial magazine. The Bank received three awards: Best Cross-Border Financing (Cambodia) for a USD-70-million long-term loan to Royal Field Development; Best Syndicated Loan (Thailand) for a USD-250-million long-term loan to Thai Pipeline Network; and Best Sustainability Bond for distributing sustainability bonds worth 80 billion baht for the Thai government. This recognition marks another successful and proud milestone for the Bank and is in line with the Bank’s regional bank strategy.

Bangkok Bank is progressing its roadmap to create digital experiences by connecting online-offline platforms to provide customers with easy and smooth services. The Bank has extended its banking agents through Counter Service to 12,500 7-Eleven stores nationwide which will provide a 24-hour deposit-withdrawal service. Customers can now make transactions via Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking and receive cash anywhere anytime even when there are not nearby branches or ATMs.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice Presidents Prassanee Ouiyamaphan said the Bank is determined to deliver good financial experiences across all channels to suit customers’ lifestyles and needs. To this end, the Bank has developed various channels to support financial transactions including Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking which links to other channels, both online and offline, that customers can seamlessly use anytime, anywhere, enlarging their digital experience.

Bangkok Bank has now extended its banking agent services to provide convenient transactions across channels by providing Counter Service at 7-Eleven stores. The pilot of a cash deposit service via Counter Service last year was well received by customers and saw rapid growth in transaction volume, averaging 60% per month from the launch of the service, with more than 30% of these outside normal branch business hours. This demonstrated that the banking agents meet the needs of customers.

The Bank has extended the trial to include cash withdrawals at Counter Service in 7-Eleven with Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking to provide convenient access to cash outside business hours and when there are no bank branch or ATM nearly. With the new service, customers can make cash withdrawals 24 hours a day.

“Despite the trend of digital banking, some customers still need to make cash transactions including when it’s urgent and outside business hours and there is no ATM nearby. This new service will also benefit customers with cash who need to make transactions digitally. As a trusted partner, the Bank seeks solutions that meet the needs of cash and digital transactions in the most seamless manner. The collaboration with 7-Eleven to provide Counter Service at more than 12,500 stores nationwide will enable customers to access financial services 24 hours a day.

Counter Service Company Senior Executive Vice President Mr. Veeradej Akkarapolpanich confirmed that Counter Service is ready to provide the services by focusing on the development of modern technology and coverage of service channels to more than 12,500 Counter Service outlets in 7-Eleven stores nationwide.

“To make it easier for people in rural areas and those who don’t have time to visit a bank branch we are providing deposit and withdrawal services with an easy transaction process that meets the highest transaction security according to ISO 27001 standards. Customers can insert their Citizen ID and enter their account number. When the transaction is completed, the account balance will reflect the transaction in real time, complying with the Bank of Thailand and the Anti-money Laundering Office’s regulations in a highly efficient way.”

The 24-hour deposit-withdrawal service in Counter Service at 7-Eleven stores is available for deposits of 10 - 30,000 baht per transaction but not more than 100,000 baht per day per deposit account, provided that a depositor has a cash deposit limit of not more than 100,000 baht per day. Cash withdrawals are available from 100 - 5,000 baht with a maximum limit of 20,000 baht per day per account. Customers are required to present a Citizen ID or smart card for identification, hold a Bangkok Bank saving or current account and be able to use Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking for withdrawals. To make transactions, please inform the cashier staff at the 7-Eleven store, who will facilitate the transactions for customers and issue a transaction confirmation slip.

 

Bangkok Bank PCL (BBL) and Bangkok Insurance PCL (BKI) joined hands in offering Thai customers peace of mind through the unveiling of a best value policy called “COVID Cover Insurance” under which the Insured shall be entitled to a lump-sum payment if found to have contracted COVID-19, with a starting premium rate of only 289 baht/year. The two firms also revealed “COVID Vaccine Insurance,” with an initial premium rate of 79 baht/year. The products are easily accessible to customers through more than 1,000 BBL branches nationwide. 

BBL’s Executive Vice President Pochanee Kongkalai disclosed that BBL is committed to providing financial services and developing, with due care, different types of financial products that meet its customers’ specific needs, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the collaboration of BBL and BKI, both the COVID Cover Insurance and the COVID Vaccine Insurance policies are now available through BBL branches.  For the COVID Cover Insurance, the Insured could get a lump-sum payment of up to 50,000 baht once found to be infected with the virus, while the recently launched COVID Vaccine Insurance covers the insured affected by the COVID-19 vaccination. 

“Nowadays, consumers are worried about COVID-19 as infected people could be severely impacted and pass away because of the virus. With more people getting vaccinated, some are concerned about the allergic reactions to the vaccines, as has happened overseas. Thus, BBL and BKI jointly offered these comprehensive and cost-effective insurance plans to ease such worries. The Bank’s customers and members of the general public can find these products through BBL’s distribution network of more than 1,000 branches countrywide. We are optimistic that the Bank’s customers will give a very warm welcome to our products,” said Miss Pochanee.

BKI’s Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Apisit Anantanatarat added that the COVID Cover Insurance is a lump-sum payout scheme that pays the money of up to 50,000 baht to the Insured if found to be infected with COVID-19. The product comes with an option of an additional insurance coverage for COVID-19 testing expenses and location sanitization costs, with premium rates starting at only 289 baht/year. 

While the COVID Vaccine Insurance covers medical expenses of the insured found to be allergic to the COVID-19 vaccination and needing hospitalization, the Insured can also get consolation money if admitted as an inpatient for at least five days. This insurance plan starts with a premium rate of 79 baht a year. The applicants for both types of insurance can be of any age, from newborn to 100 years; and can be either general individuals or medical personnel. 

“We strongly believe that, through partnership with a strong ally like BBL with an extensive branch network and a large pool of customers, our insurance products offered by BKI will reach customers across all groups and make them feel more secure about their future,” stated Dr. Apisit.

Coverage Details of the Two Insurance Policies

COVID Cover Insurance

• The Insured shall get a lump-sum payment of 10,000 baht or 50,000 baht once found to have contracted COVID-19.
• The plan helps relieve the financial burden of medical expenses with the sum insured up of to 60,000 baht; or 600,000 baht for a patient reaching the final stages of the disease or going comatose.
• An additional insurance coverage is available for COVID-19 testing expenses for family members and to cover location sanitization costs.
• An additional insurance coverage is available for death, dismemberment, loss of sight, or permanent disability from an accident, with a maximum coverage amount of 60,000 baht.
• There are four insurance plan options available, with the premiums of 289 baht, 489 baht, 699 baht, and 899 baht, respectively, for a coverage period of one year.
• People of all professions can apply for this insurance without a pre-medical check-up required.

COVID Vaccine Insurance

• This plan covers actual medical expenses for an inpatient of up to 100,000 baht.
• The Insured can get consolation money if hospitalized as an inpatient for at least five days, up to 50,000 baht.
• In the case of a patient reaching the final stages of the disease or going into a coma, the eligible can get the sum insured of up to 1,000,000 baht.
• An additional insurance coverage is available for death, dismemberment, loss of sight, or permanent disability from an accident, with a maximum coverage amount of 100,000 baht.
• There are three insurance plan options available to meet specific needs, with a coverage period of one year.
• The premium rates start at 79 baht/year.

Interested customers may contact us or ask for further details about the COVID Cover Insurance and the COVID Vaccine Insurance at all BBL branches nationwide. Other BBL information is also available through the Bank’s all PR channels, including Bangkok Bank website, Bangkok Bank LINE Official, or Tel. 1333 or 0 2645 5555.

 

Bangkok Bank has emphasized its status as a regional banking leader and financial solutions provider by joining Gojek, a leading on-demand platform technology in Southeast Asia, to provide digital payment services with GoPay’s e-wallet via the Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking app to promote a seamless digital lifestyle experience while supporting Thailand’s digital financial ecosystem.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Pipat Assamongkol said: “Bangkok Bank's main commitment as a regional banking leader is to seek out partners with outstanding potential both domestically and internationally in order to continuously deliver better service to customers, particularly in terms of technological cooperation, to meet the needs of the New Normal age. Meanwhile, the Bank aims to give a business advantage to its partners to help them improve the efficiency of cash management to emphasize its status as a leading financial solutions provider.”

Bangkok Bank has joined Gojek to develop Bill Payment 2 Way to provide top-up options for GoPay’s e-wallet via the Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking app so that users can instantly make safe, secure and convenient cashless payments for all Gojek services, which include motorbike ride-hailing (GoRide), couriers (GoSend), and food delivery (GoFood). This service has increasingly gained popularity as it perfectly serves the digital lifestyle that most customers prefer, offering e-payment for seamless transactions to reduce risks from handling cash which is another concern of today’s customers.

“Coordinating with business partners who use cutting-edge technology and operate a high-potential business will help us to meet the increasing demands of the business environment. At the same time, it will enable businesses to satisfy their customers while providing digital experiences in line with today’s lifestyle trend of moving towards a cashless society. It also reflects the cooperation within the business sector to help bolster the digital financial ecosystem. In addition to a better user experience, customers of Bangkok Bank and Gojek will receive additional value from the use of various promotions including the co-development of new services in the future to better serve the needs of customers of both platforms,” said Mr. Pipat.

Mr. Pipat added that: “The fact that the business sector places an emphasis on expanding business partners gives us the opportunity to increase our customer base to new target groups while accelerating our business growth. Bangkok Bank puts great importance on being a “trusted partner” and is ready to provide customers with business solutions through excellent service, modern technology and skilled staff. This will help support businesses in all segments today and in the future, especially Transaction Banking services comprising Corporate Cash Management, Trade Finance, Supply Chain Finance and Securities Services.”

Shri Charkravarthy, Gojek Thailand Country General Manager, said: “The development of digital payments is in line with Gojek’s vision to reduce life’s daily frictions for users and to enable the success of SMEs. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, e-Payments have proved to be a vital service for users, enabling safe, cashless payments while meeting everyday needs in the New Normal era.”

“This year, we are aiming to strengthen the service through both tech innovation and strategic partnerships, to deliver a more joyful experience to our users, merchants and driver partners. To this end, we are delighted to work with BBL, Southeast Asia’s leading bank, to expand our GoPay wallet top-up options for users and to collaborate on future initiatives aimed at expanding access to digital payments in the country,” added Shri.

GoPay is the most widely used e-wallet in Indonesia, processing billions of transactions each year. GoPay was launched in Thailand in April 2019 to provide a cashless payment solution for Gojek services. A large part of this is driven by GoFood, the largest food delivery service in Southeast Asia, as well as the expansion of GoPay into other sectors both inside and outside the Gojek ecosystem to provide the ultimate modern lifestyle experience to users of the platform.

Bangkok Bank is pleased to announce that its trade finance service via Contour has broken through the limitations of traditional transactions by sending fast, accurate Letters of Credit via enterprise blockchain between Thai businesses and partners in Vietnam and Oman. With Contour all transactions are digital, enhancing efficiency, simplifying costs and saving time for both importers and exporters. The Bank also joined with leading international banks to provide Cross Bank Blockchain transactions to provide even better international trade services to customers.

Bangkok Bank was the first Thai bank to join with leading global banks and organizations to establish Contour in early 2020 to provide trade finance services. Contour uses Distributed Ledger Technology, or enterprise blockchain, to enhance and digitize the entire trade finance process to make it faster and more efficient. The first successful Letter of Credit (L/C) transaction on the Contour network between a Bangkok Bank branch in Hanoi and Bangkok Bank in Thailand occurred in August last year, reducing the total time it took to open a L/C to less than one hour.

Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Pipat Assamongkol said the bank is continually developing trade finance services via Contour to break through the limitations of traditional trade finance transactions. The most recent success extends the Bank’s collaboration with leading local and global banks to facilitate Cross Bank Blockchain transactions on the Contour network to three major customers. The Bank collaborated with SCG Chemicals, a manufacturer of petrochemical products under SCG Group, and GC Marketing Solutions Limited, the chemical flagship of PTT Group under GC Group, to facilitate their L/C transactions with their partners via leading local banks in Vietnam. The Bank also joined with Pacific Containerbag Co., Ltd. to facilitate the company’s transactions with corporate partners in Oman, opening and receiving L/C, supporting both import and export customers.

L/C transactions on the Contour network using the enterprise blockchain platform enables customers to seamlessly make digital transactions for the entire process. This enables trade partners to see real-time information, ensuring that the transaction is fast, transparent and at a lower cost when compared with traditional paper-based transactions. These types of transactions reflect current and future requirements for trade finance to be both fast and secure.

“Our continuous development of financial technology has proven that we can introduce practical innovations. Contour enterprises blockchain revolutionizes traditional trade finance providing customers with modern services using cutting edge technology. It also reduces the time and cost associated with traditional security measures while retaining the excellent services of the Bank’s international trade experts. Contour is a good blend between financial technology and the international trade business.”

Mr. Pipat said the success of the transaction and excellent feedback from customers who have made L/C transactions on the Contour network gives the Bank confidence that it is ready to provide full commercial services in the next phase.

“Services using blockchain technology will be an important step in upgrading and strengthening Bangkok Bank’s international trade services. It is an alternative way to make international trade transactions that will increase the competitiveness of business customers and meet the needs of overseas trade partners who want to adopt blockchain in their transactions. Bangkok Bank as a trusted partner is ready to help customers achieve success and compete in the global market,” said Mr. Pipat.

Mr. Thammasak Sethaudom, Vice President of Finance and Investment and CFO at SCG said, “SCG is committed to integrating blockchain technology into our services to enhance efficiency and competitiveness for our organization and our trade partners. Joining with Bangkok Bank has enabled us to make end-to-end L/C transactions on the Contour network with our two clients in Vietnam, Sai Gon Plastic Chemical Joint Stock Company and OPEC Plastics Joint Stock Company via Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBBank). The new technology not only shortened the processes of opening an L/C from 3 days to 50 minutes, but also reduced the paper consumption by half and offered increased security.”

Mr. Thitipol Artsanchorn, Managing Director, GC Marketing Solutions Company Limited (GCM) said, “Blockchain technology can lead to new opportunities and benefit businesses. GCM’s mission is to improve our operational efficiencies and deliver results that go beyond customer expectations. By adopting blockchain technology and the Contour network, GCM, Bangkok Bank, and our Vietnamese partner successfully facilitated an electronic L/C issuance quickly and securely. GCM aims to provide greater service efficiencies and value to emerge as a Preferred Polymer Solution Partner for sustainable growth.”

Mr. Prinya Manatsathit, Managing Director, Pacific Containerbag Co., Ltd. said, “Our company is very glad to join Bangkok Bank in testing their L/C process using blockchain technology. It’s the first step in using modern technology to enhance the efficiency of the company’s international financial transactions. The transactions take less time, cost less and provide security and transparency that all relevant parties can see in real-time.”

Bangkok Bank would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused by its temporary maintenance of Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking on Saturday, February 20, 2021 between 01:30 a.m. - 07:00 a.m. to enhance service efficiency and better serve customers. Bangkok Bank customers will not be able to use Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking during that time.

Bualuang iBanking, BIZ iBanking and other services will be available as normal.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused. For more information, please visit the Bangkok Bank website, Bangkok Bank LINE Official or call 1333 or 0 2645 5555.

 

Bangkok Bank Senior Executive Vice President Niraman Laisathit (right) and Mr. Warawut Natpradith, Chief Operations Officer, Kerry Express (Thailand) (left), an “Exclusive Financial Partner”, extended their collaboration to enable customers of Bangkok Bank and Kerry Express to verify their identity at Kerry Express’s Be My ID service points. Customers who register to use the Bangkok Bank Mobile Banking app and use it to open an e-Savings account and verify their identity at Be My ID service points at Kerry Express parcel shops nationwide will receive a 40-baht Kerry e-Voucher for discounts on delivery fees from today - June 30, 2021 (each customer is eligible for one voucher only, and the entire campaign is limited to 100,000 vouchers). The discount will be valid until July 31, 2021.