Government Backs Nano Plus Loans for 100,000 Small Traders
The government launched Nano Plus loans offering 5,000-50,000 baht credit to 100,000 small traders and street vendors with four years interest-free financing, addressing their historic exclusion from formal banking due to lack of financial
The Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Credit Guarantee Corporation has joined forces with state banks and non-bank lenders to guarantee Nano Plus loans for small traders and SMEs, offering credit between 5,000 and 50,000 baht per person with four years of fee-free financing, targeting 100,000 beneficiaries. Deputy Prime Minister Ekkanit Nitidhumprasah chaired the program launch, delivering remarks on financial opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs alongside Finance Ministry officials and non-bank financial service providers on September 22, 2026.
The government is advancing support for small-scale business owners, including street vendors, freelancers, and salaried workers, to address their lack of access to formal credit and business opportunities, while easing the cost of living through income generation. Previously, micro-business owners and street food vendors were often rejected for bank loans due to insufficient financial documentation and lack of salary statements, forcing them to rely on high-interest informal lenders charging up to 20 percent. The government has promoted the use of AI-driven sales data collection for participating merchants in the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus program, allowing actual sales records to serve as financial evidence for bank loan applications.
Converting sales data into financial documentation will enable small-scale traders to access formal credit sources with reduced interest burden and increased net profit from their business activities. The Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Credit Guarantee Corporation will serve as the guarantor of last resort, helping small and micro traders access formal credit through Nano Plus loans managed by non-bank operators, reducing reliance on informal lending. Sithikorn Direksumonth, board member and general manager of the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Credit Guarantee Corporation, noted that volatile economic conditions, regional tensions, rising energy costs, and weakened consumer spending have severely impacted SMEs and small traders facing liquidity and working capital shortages. The Nano Plus loan guarantee program, launched by the Ministry of Finance, targets this vulnerable group of micro-enterprises and self-employed workers struggling to access formal credit due to incomplete financial records and high risk perceptions from financial institutions.
