Siam Commercial Bank aims to resume the growth path in 2015, focusing on the SME and wholesale sectors rather than retail loans, because of the high level of household debt and the poor outlook for auto loans.
Last year was the first one in a while when SCB witnessed below-market loan growth, as slow domestic consumption could not support much retail lending, which accounts for 42 per cent of its outstanding loans. SCB's corporate portfolio accounts for 37 per cent, and small and medium-sized enterprises 20 per cent.
SCB president Kannikar Chalitaporn said the economic slowdown in 2014 forced the bank to be more cautious about non-performing loans (NPLs), and so it concentrated on customers who had to restructure their debts to ensure they were able to recover in 2015.
She said that with the positive economic outlook for this year, loan growth should be higher than in 2014 but would still not outpace the market average, because there were several risk factors that might affect the bank.
"Lending at SCB should grow by 5-6 per cent, in line with the banking industry, based on the assumption that gross domestic product will expand by 3.5 per cent. The drivers of growth will be SMEs and corporates, because 2014 was not a good year for retail lending, particularly auto loans," she said.
SCB will focus more on SMEs and corporates, as the trend for both sectors is positive momentum.
Kannikar said the high level of household debt would continue to put downward pressure on purchasing power, so SCB does not anticipate any sharp increase in mortgage lending. However, this is not all bad, as it would coincide with a lower property supply.
The lower prices of commodities also affect the purchasing power of people in the agricultural sector, another reason the bank will be less active in retail lending.
She added that the amended law on loan guarantees, which will come into effect on February 11, would be a barrier to auto and SME lending. Half of those borrowing for auto purchases use guarantors.
Following the amendment, banks will be required to notify the guarantor within 60 days if a borrower is in default, and the banks will be required to pursue defaulting borrowers before pursuing guarantors.
"In the case of debt restructuring, if the bank cannot contact the guarantor within 90 days, a borrower in need of be restructuring will default, and we don't want to see NPLs result from such cases. We want to help the customers, but we have to comply with the law as well," Kannikar said. She said the law might not have a serious impact on a bank business plan focusing on SMEs.
Separately, SCB is interested in opening a branch in Myanmar even though it has failed to acquire a licence to operate there. At present, it supports corporate clients doing business in Myanmar from its branches in Thailand.