Thailand

When Asiamoney asked a handful of senior bankers to nominate the best corporate and investment bank in the country, several names cropped up as being good candidates for the award. Credit Suisse undoubtedly had a strong claim, with its large number of equity-linked offerings and its strong M&A advisory capabilities. Bualuang Securities, a subsidiary of Bangkok Bank, also won accolades for the large number of equity capital markets transactions it has done.

It has been a tough year for Thailand’s leading commercial banks. A combination of sluggish loan growth, the high cost of rolling out digital platforms and continuing credit problems – especially for small and medium-sized enterprises – led three of the big four banks to report lower profits for 2017.

The 28th annual Asiamoney Brokers Poll invited chief investment officers, fund managers and investment analysts to take part. Nearly 6,700 valid responses were received from voters representing fund management houses, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds and wealth managers from around the world.

Thailand

Thailand’s infrastructure is in dire need of an overhaul. The ruling military junta hopes to solve that problem with a host of big-ticket projects – some PPPs, others funded by China. But that is just the start of the problem for a financially and demographically stressed country likely to grow old before it gets rich.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi surprised many when it bought Thailand’s Bank of Ayudhya in 2013. Defying the critics, the Japanese lender’s gamble has bagged it a consumer-finance powerhouse, while Krungsri benefits from BTM’s institutional strength and client roster.

Bualuang Securities