Bangkok--30 Nov--KASIKORNBANK
KASIKORNBANK vowed to attract more Japanese customers in Thailand following the continued investment of Japanese companies in the country, with an investment value that tops the list of foreign investors. The Bank, in cooperation with 15 Japanese partner banks, will take care of financial matters for Japanese companies that invest in Thailand, in addition to holding business seminars and conducting business-matching activities between Thai and Japanese business operators. This is aimed at increasing investment value and creating awareness of the Bank’s market position as the number-one Thai bank in Japanese customers’ hearts. This is aimed to increase its market share by 18 %
KASIKORNBANK CEO and President Banthoon Lamsam said KBank aims to attract more Japanese customers, which is the foreign investor group investing in Thailand continually, with the highest investment value. Currently, there are 7,000 Japanese firms with investments in Thailand. Despite this, Japanese Financial Institutions in Thailand has limited financial services available for these Japanese firms.
KBank has thus joined hands with 15 Japanese financial institutions in providing financial services to Japanese companies investing in Thailand, in order to offer complete financial services on top of what they get from Japan. KBank has established a Japanese team to serve Japanese customers in particular. Currently, there are as many as 30 customer relationship managers for Japanese customers, the largest number in the Thai banking industry. In October the Bank opened its first Representative Office in Tokyo, Japan in order to support trade and direct investment between customers of the two countries.
Currently, the Bank has around 3,000 Japanese customers, representing only 12 percent of market share. So far, most major multinational Japanese firms want to use Japanese Mega Banks that have opened branches in Thailand. The best way to penetrate into Japanese firms in Thailand is by offering a completed financial service through servicing branches and atm across the country in order to facilitate and expand Japanese customer base effectively. Moreover, the Bank aimed to become the “The Most Preferred Thai Local Bank” for prospective Japanese investors by increasing the market share up to 18 % by 2012. Currently, there are 15 Japanese banks, it is hoped that there will be associated partnership with 5-6 Japanese Banks in the next 3 years in order to secure and expand Japanese customer base in the long run.
Additionally, KBank will organize the Thai-Japan Business Summit and Business Matching 2010 during November 29-30, 2010, in order to build up networks among corporate customers so that they may increase business channels for customers and partner banks via an exchange of experiences. The Bank also aims to become a center for the Thai-Japan Business Matching project in creating networks and cooperation in business undertakings and investment domestically and internationally for customers of KBank and partners. Approximately 200 business operators are expected to be in business talks, with turnover value of around 500 million Baht.
The Thai-Japan Business Summit and Business Matching 2010 will continue the bank’s business vision as a strong and proactive Thai financial group that provides a variety of financial services of world class quality to serve’s customers’ needs.
The list of 15 Japanese partner banks
Name Prefecture
1 The Hachijuni Bank, Limited Nagano
2 The Hokuriku Bank, Limited Toyama
3 The Juroku Bank, Limited Gifu
4 The Bank of Kyoto, Limited Kyoto
5 The Chugoku Bank, Limited Okayama
6 The Hyakugo Bank, Limited Mie
7 The Hiroshima Bank, Limited Hiroshima
8 The Tokyo Tomin Bank, Limited Tokyo
9 The Gunma Bank, Limited Gunma
10 The Daishi Bank, Limited Niigata
11 The Shiga Bank, Limited Shiga
12 The Hokuto Bank, Limited Akita
13 The Shonai Bank, Limited Yamagata
14 The Hokkaido Bank, Limited Hokkaido
15 The Shizuoka Bank, Limited Shizuoka