Bangkok--23 Nov--KASIKORNBANK
KASIKORNBANK has introduced a special platinum credit card, a Thai card with a Japanese heart, to target Japanese customers in Thailand by offering privileges that match their lifestyle including dining, traveling, shopping, and leisure. The Bank also provides documents and a call center service in Japanese. The market is expected to have high business potential, as Japanese have maintained a strong interest in investing in Thailand.
Mr. Ampol Polohakul, Executive Vice President of KASIKORNBANK, said Japan is the top country investing in the Thai market, with more than 1,300 Japanese firms registered in Thailand, representing 730 billion Baht of investment value or 40 percent of total foreign direct investment. Their investment is likely to expand further. More than 100,000 Japanese citizens are working and living in Thailand. They are a large community with a unique lifestyle and tastes, as well as high spending power.
Thus, to ensure convenience for Japanese living and working in Thailand, KBank has launched a special platinum credit card designed especially for Japanese citizens in Thailand. On top of diverse privileges given to original platinum cardholders of KBank, the new card also offers additional privileges that are in accordance with the lifestyles of the Japanese, including special discounts in restaurants, supermarkets, shops, and activities including golf courses, karaoke clubs, and entertainment centers in key areas that are popular among Japanese in Thailand, etc.
Additionally, to reduce communication problems, the Bank provides relevant documents and a call center service in Japanese for their convenience. The new card is likely to be popular among Japanese in Thailand, as they will get more privileges consistent with their lifestyle, along with the ultimate convenience in service and communication. Interested customers can contact the Bank for more information by calling the Japanese-language Call Center at 02 888 8826.
Mr. Ampol noted that Japanese who live and work in Thailand at this time mostly hold foreign cards, while only a small number of them hold local cards, and until now have not received conveniences and privileges from promotions matching their demands. When faced with card-related problems, until now they have not been able to easily communicate with bank officials to solve the problems. KBank’s special platinum credit card will be the first credit card that completely satisfies the needs of Japanese in Thailand.
Mr. Munenori Yamada, President of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Bangkok, said Japan is interested in continued expansion of its investment in Thailand, in order to use Thailand as its production base and a hub for regional headquarters for a variety of industries, the auto sector in particular. Thailand’s location makes it a key gateway to the region and the world. This year, Japanese investment in Thailand will rise as much as 76 percent year-on-year, or by 34 billion Baht, bucking the trend in other regions, which expect to see Japanese investment cut by half.
With a number of Japanese organizations investing in the Thai market, the Japanese have established a large community in Thailand. The issuance of a special platinum card for Japanese by KBank is the first and key step among Thai financial institutions in offering a financial product designed especially for the Japanese. This will benefit both Japanese people and organizations in Thailand.