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However, these clients must be borrowing loans for their first-home purchases, and their salary must not exceed Bt15,000. Eligible are only those who are charged the floating rate. Their outstanding loans must also be lower than Bt600,000.

 GHB President Khan Prachuabmoh said the refinancing is part of the Bt10 billion loan scheme, approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, to help low-income earners. A bond issue worth Bt10 billion is planned, with the indicative interest rate of 4.25 per cent and 4.5-4.6 per cent for 7-year and 10-year bonds, respectively.

 Having their loans refinanced, the clients would be charged lower than 7.5 per cent at present, Khan said as the new rate would be equivalent to the bonds' coupon rates.

 "We will not add up the administrative fee or other charges, which is normally 1.5 per cent of loan extension or about Bt150 million," he said.

 On the bank's mobilisation of Bt10 billion in new capital, he said the Finance Ministry may gradually approve the increase of Bt2-Bt3 billion per year.

- The Nation