Deputy PM and Minister of Finance Kittirat Na
Ranong (left), and Santi Viriyarangsarit (right), president of the 3rd Money
Expo Pattaya event, interact with representatives of banks and financial
institutions during the Money Expo Pattaya 2013 in the Royal Cliff Beach
Resort’s PEACH conference hall.
Vittaya Yoondorn
More than 30,000 people applied for 12 billion baht in loans and investments
during the third Pattaya Money Expo at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort.
Forty financial institutions took 12,813 applications and inquiries for home
mortgages, small business loans, gold purchases and other investments during
the Feb. 15-17 fair at the hotel’s PEACH convention center.
The Government Saving Bank, Krung Thai Bank, Siam Commercial Bank,
Thanachart Bank, Kasikorn Bank, Bangkok Bank, Thai Military Bank others saw
9.5 billion baht in home loan transactions, 1.7 million baht in small
business loans, and 180 million baht in personal loans.
(L to R) Thanit Viriyarangsarit, Money Expo vice
president; Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome; Chonburi Governor Khomsan Ekachai;
Santi Viriyarangsarit, Money Expo president; Kittirat Na Ranong, deputy PM
and Minister of Finance; Areepong Phhocha-um, Ministry of Finance permanent
secretary; Kesra Manchusaree, vice manager of the Stock Exchange of Thailand
and Panga Vathanakul, MD of Royal Cliff Hotel Group (PEACH), together
preside over the opening of this year’s Money Expo Pattaya.
Event director Santi Viriyarangsarit said home loans proved the most
popular, due both to promotions offering no interest for 10 months, as well
as Chonburi’s booming property market. Banks usually offer only three months
of interest-free terms at their offices.
Banks spiced up their offers with add-ons including free appraisals, no
mortgage fees, free fire insurance and other bonuses. Many attendees were
well-prepared, with completed loan documents in hand when they arrived.
While loans were not finalized at the expo, the show provided banks a means
to do initial screenings for a large number of people.
In addition to loans, gold traders and commodity brokers attracted customers
for gold and gold-futures investments. Other participating companies offered
stocks and mutual funds.
The Money Expo, the first to be held since 2010, wasn’t all number
crunching, however. Organizers sponsored contests to win motorbikes,
smartphones and trips to Africa and Australia. Thai pop bands Boy Pitsanu,
Green Asdaporn, TU Thanaporn and Yaya Ying also performed.
Many people crowd into PEACH conference hall for
the opening day of the 3rd Money Expo Pattaya 2013.
