HSBC aims higher premier customers

Premier customers, according to the bank's definition, must have an investment portfolio of deposits, mutual funds and structured notes with the bank worth at least Bt3 million.

Wichit Phayuhanaveechai, head of personal finan¬cial services, said yesterday that after the HSBC Premier campaign was launched two years ago in 42 countries, the bank in Thailand had built up its premier customer base to more than 10,000.

"According to our survey, there are not more than 200,000 Thais who have savings exceeding Bt3 million, while local banks are also beginning to focus on highend customers.

"But the strong point of the bank is we are the only bank that can connect to worldwide networks to serve our customers," he said.

The bank's premier customers have the privilege of opening an account for their children with a minimum deposit of Bt100,000.

The children will also get an associate credit card so they can withdraw US$2,000 (Bt68,800) a day from their own account every day in 42 countries worldwide.

For those premier customers who open an account, regardless of savings or time deposit account, for their children from now until next month, with at least a $10,000 or equivalent balance, their children will receive a piggy bank worth Bt1,000 and a gift voucher worth Bt5,000.

They would receive an interest rate of about 2.1 per cent, apart from the normal interest rate.

And if they open a eightmonth deposit account in a foreign currency, they would receive a 1.1 gram gold pendant worth Bt1,175. This would bring the total value equal to an interest rate of 3 per cent to top up the normal return.

Thai residents can open deposit accounts in four foreign currencies - the US dollar, pound, euro and Australian dollar.

Nonresidents have a choice of two more foreign currencies - the Singaporean dollar and Hong Kong dollar.