Thailand

Lending to small and medium-sized enterprises in Thailand has grown rapidly in recent years, reflecting the importance of this sector to the domestic economy. SMEs account for about 40% of GDP and employ close to 14 million of the work force.

Thai bank customers are embracing technology in record numbers. That’s good news for the big lenders like Kasikornbank (KBank) and Siam Commercial Bank, which in recent years have invested heavily in digital banking. And with Covid-19 upending traditional branch banking concepts, the trend looks set to continue offering big dividends for the top players.

Selecting the best international bank in Thailand is never easy given the competing claims of regional and global financial institutions who have scored high marks in capital markets business, M&A advisory, cross-border deals or digital banking. Often the bank that comes out top in one of these markets stumbles in another.

Bangkok Bank ranks as the largest Thai commercial bank in terms of total deposits and is a leading regional bank in southeast Asia. Its long-established branch network covers nine of the 10 Asean countries, including subsidiaries in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) chief executive Arthid Nanthawithaya must be wondering what will be thrown at him next. Since taking the helm in 2016, he has had to steer the bank through times of anaemic economic growth, political volatility and a Covid-19 pandemic that led to a two-month lockdown. It says a lot about SCB that despite tough operating conditions, it continues to outperform.

Phatra Securities

Credit Suisse

Kasikornbank

Siam Commercial Bank