Bangkok--15 Jan--Bangkok Bank Bangkok Bank closed subscriptions for the fourth tranche of three-year government savings bonds after the entire allocation worth Baht 500 million sold out on the first day of issue on January 15. The interest rate on the savings bonds is 4.10 percent per annum. Mrs. Ruchanee Nopmuang, Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President and Director for Metropolitan Consumer Banking, said the government savings bonds attracted strong interest and sold out quickly. Mrs. Ruchanee said customers who missed out on the fourth tranche of bonds would have a further opportunity to subscribe when the next tranche goes on sale at Bangkok Bank branches nationwide (excluding Microbranches) on February 15-27, 2008. The bank is selling 12 tranches of the bonds, with the first tranche sold in October 2007. For the remainder of the year, Baht 500 million of the bonds will be sold to the general public once a month until September 2008. Bangkok Bank has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of the bonds which are issued by the Public Debt Management Office of the Ministry of Finance with the Bank of Thailand as the registrar and paying agent. In order to ensure that the bonds are fairly distributed to the people, the bonds are offered to Thai nationals or those with residency in Thailand, foundations and other non-profit organizations. The bonds are not available to corporations or businesses but become transferable after one year and bond holders can sell them on to financial institutions or other parties at an agreed price.