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Colourful booths and activities built up an enticing get-involved atmosphere. Bank staff and attractive boys and girls stationed at the many booths cheerfully welcomed visitors.

After the opening ceremony, visitors entered the exposition area while banks competed to attract customers to their booths with special offers and cute gifts.

Kasikornbank decorated its booth as a ship with a crew in uniform green. Besides serving visitors with universal financial products, they also served up hot popcorn which cast its smell over the whole area.

Siam City Bank built its booth as an amusement park, offering cotton candy to guests.

Bank of Ayudhya caught the eye of visitors with a special dance presenting its Visa Electron card.

At a nearby booth, Thanachart Bank overflowed with an audience in front of a music stage. When the MCs asked people to join in the fun, three women in their fifties climbed on the stage and danced along with the music. They deserved the gifts the bank gave them.

One potential client, Sompop Homlom, was looking for special offers in home loan refinancing because he wants to save money from paying high interest each month.

"There's not much difference in interest benefits but what should be considered is the possibility of loan approval. Besides, the mortgage fee decrease to 0.01 per cent made me want to refinance my home loan," Sompop said.

Chalermsri Intarachote, a 69-year-old woman, was visiting Money Expo for the first time, with a friend. She is looking for saving products providing a high interest rate.

"After retirement, I didn't have any income. So, I would like to manage my savings most efficiently. I don't want to get poorer. Right now, I'm investing my savings in stocks, mutual funds and saving accounts."

Before saying goodbye, she left a suggestion to the organiser: "It's too noisy, it's better to lower the volume."

Chaisit Booppatham was carrying big bags stuffed with dolls and other gifts.

A loyal visitor, he said he has come to the expo every year but this timeit's not as crowded as last. His main purpose for visiting is "bringing more free gifts back home".

"I'm not looking for any product but a credit card because I have my own home and have no need for any kind of loan. I applied for credit cards because I want to get premiums.

"But I'm not approved at every bank. Maybe from 10 applications, I got approved for only four," he said, smiling and tossing Kasikornbank popcorn into his mouth.

When asked about his favourite booth, he picked KTC because of its friendly service staff and easy availability of premiums.

The expo might be more crowded during the weekend, so each booth has prepared special activities for those days.

Besides shopping for financial products and collecting free gifts, visitors will meet famous actors and actresses, including Miss Thailand.

If you have free time on the weekend, visit Money Expo 2008 for an entertaining - and maybe a profitable - time.