The seventh Money Expo will be held from May 10-13 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre under the theme "Sufficient Money, Sufficient Life".

Many of the 167 financial institutions participating this year are preparing aggressive promotions.

Kasikornbank said yesterday it would charge only a 1.25-per-cent interest rate for the first three months of new mortgage loans. Personal loans and credit cards would be offered at the expo with a zero-per-cent rate over the first three months.

The venue will be divided into zones for money, investment, and SMEs and shopping.

In the money zone, banks, insurance companies and finance houses will showcase personal loans, credit cards, housing loans, SME loans, deposits, savings certificates and insurance policies.

In the investment zone, products and services will be available from the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Market for Alternative Investment, Thai Futures Exchange, Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand, Government Pension Fund, securities firms, asset management firms and some listed companies. Seminars on financial management and investment will be held.

In the SMEs and shopping zone, booths will sell One Tambon One Product items and farm products, while a clinic will show visitors how to start up a business.

Over the past few weeks, large banks including Krung Thai Bank, Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and Kasikornbank have launched their second round of cuts to loan and deposit rates.

Voravan Tarapoom, managing director of BBL Asset Management, said the falling trend of interest rates would be good for the mutual fund business. Savers would seek a higher return by shifting their money from bank deposit accounts.

Siriporn Chanjindamanee

The Nation