Bangkok--8 Jul--Bangkok Bank Bangkok Bank has introduced the Bualuang Green Loan and has prepared initial capital of Baht 10 billion to meet the needs of customers who are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The minimum loan is Baht 1 million, with an interest rate of not more than MLR per annum throughout the repayment period. The bank is offering the new loan to support SME operators to invest in reducing energy use, sourcing alternative energy, or managing waste to preserve the environment. Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Virasak Suthanthavibul said the bank has created a new loan for SMEs called Bualuang Green to support entrepreneurs to save energy or use alternative energy sources to enhance their competitiveness. The loan is also offered to companies that have been granted the Green Label from the Thailand Environment Institute, or those with waste management projects. Customers can take out a loan for Baht 1 million or more. The interest rate per annum is not higher than MLR (7.25% as of July 7, 2008) and the bank will waive the loan administration fee. The bank has prepared capital of Baht 10 billion to support this project and interested customers can apply for the loan from today onwards. “Countries all over the world including Thailand consume a huge amount of energy,” Mr. Virasak said. “In 2007 Thailand consumed energy worth Baht 1.3 trillion or 15.24 percent of the country’s GDP. Meanwhile, rising oil prices have prompted business operators to reduce energy consumption and seek alternative sources of energy. Bangkok Bank has therefore initiated this project to support business customers who are interested in energy saving and environment preservation.” Mr. Virasak said the Bualuang Green Loan project builds on an initiative by Bangkok Bank Executive Chairman Kosit Panpiemras which was initiated in 2005 to support SME operators to invest in energy saving or alternative energy projects. The bank provides the loan to support customers in five areas - energy saving, alternative energy, products with green labels, waste recycling, and the use of biological substances in place of chemicals. Qualified projects under the energy saving category include, for example, investment in energy saving equipment or energy management for maximum efficiency. For the development of alternative energy, SMEs can take out the loan for projects using bio-mass, production waste, waste water, wind, sunshine, bio-diesel, and hydro power. For waste recycling, SMEs can take out the loan for an alternative energy project using garbage or a project for recycling waste. SMEs could also take out the loan for a project using bio-degradable substances in place of plastic bags. “Bangkok Bank, as the pioneer and leader in providing loans to the SMEs, is ready to support business expansion for entrepreneurs in every industry. The Bualuang Green Loan will help our customers prepare for environmental factors which are always changing, particularly the growing concern of the public with regard to environmental problems,” he said. Business customers interested in the Bualuang Green Loan as well as other loans for SMEs, namely SME Development Loans, Bualuang SME Loans, the SME Machine Fund, and loans for machinery improvement for the automotive part industry which have been on offer since 1999 can obtain advice from Bangkok Bank’s specialized staff and apply for loans at the bank’s seminar - 10th Anniversary of Bualuang SMEs: Partnership of Innovation and Knowledge which will be held at the Plenary Hall, Queen Sirikit Convention Center, on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, from 9:00am to 8:00pm. Interested customers can obtain further information from Bangkok Bank’s Business Centers nationwide, or from Bualuang Phone by calling 1333 or 0-2645-5555.