Bangkok Bank, Thailand's largest commercial bank, is planning to raise capital at its Shanghai branch and upgrade its office in Beijing to a full branch to catch opportunities brought by China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Bangkok Post newspaper reported Tuesday.

The bank has already proposed to Chinese authorities to quadruple the capital of its Shanghai branch to 400 million renminbi (US$48 million) in order to enhance the branch's capacity to operate renminbi loans and other services.

Prasong Uthaisangchai, vice-president of the bank, was quoted as saying that China's WTO membership is expected to promote liberalization of financial services, which will provide more opportunities for the bank.

Chinese branches expected to contribute to overseas income

In China's mainland, besides the Shanghai branch, Bankok Bank now operates two full branches in Xiamen and Shantou. It also owns three branches in Hong Kong.

Under the WTO rules, the bank said it will be able to apply to open one new branch per year in China.

Last year, the bank's branches in China accounted for 6 percent of its overseas revenues. With a full branch to be opened in Beijing and China's strong economic prospects, Bankok Bank expects its Chinese operations to contribute as much as 30 percent of total overseas income within several years.

(People's Daily April 09, 2002)