Bangkok: The SME Bank has rolled out a relief initiative aimed at supporting southern residents by suspending fees and debt payments for a period of six months, assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in their recovery efforts.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sasikarn Wattanachan, deputy government spokeswoman, announced that the government, through the Small Industry Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCG) under the Ministry of Finance, has introduced urgent measures to aid those affected by the floods in the southern regions. These measures specifically target ‘customers – debtors’ impacted by the natural disaster, offering a six-month suspension on fees and debts to help SME entrepreneurs in the region restore their businesses.
The government has coordinated with various agencies to provide relief to flood-hit communities, aiming to mitigate the economic losses faced by SMEs and businesses. The support measures include the suspension of the payment of fees and guarantee management fees for TCG custom
ers who are SMEs affected by the southern floods in 2024. This applies to those whose guarantee fees are due between November 29 and December 31, 2024, benefiting 3,385 customers with a collective guarantee burden of 2,071 million baht.
Additionally, TCG debtors, who are SME entrepreneurs receiving compensation insurance from financial institutions, will have their installment payments suspended for six months. This measure is available to debtors not in default and participating in the debt restructuring plan, with the suspension request period open from November 29 to December 31, 2024. A total of 490 debtors, with a combined debt burden of 292 million baht, are eligible for this support.
Ms. Sasikarn emphasized the government’s commitment to monitoring flood-prone areas and encouraged affected SME entrepreneurs to seek further information and assistance at local district offices or through designated communication channels, including LINE OA: @tcgfirst and the TCG Call Center at 02-890-9999.