SME D Bank Injects 19 Billion Baht into Small Business Capital, Pumping 90 Billion into the Economy
SME D Bank disbursed 19.8 billion baht to small businesses in Q1 2025, generating roughly 90.7 billion baht in economic activity as Thai SMEs struggle with rising energy costs from Middle East tensions.
Pichit Mitravangsul, Chief Executive Officer of Thailand's Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank (SME D Bank), announced that Thailand's economy showed clear signs of slowdown in the first quarter of 2025 due to prolonged Middle East tensions, which have continuously driven up energy prices. This has severely impacted Thai SME operators facing increased business costs and expenses.
As a specialized state financial institution under the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Industry, SME D Bank remains committed to serving as a crucial mechanism to help Thai SMEs overcome current difficulties and build long-term sustainability. Operating under the philosophy "an umbrella once opened never closes," the bank provides support through improved credit processes and relaxed conditions aligned with current economic situations, enabling small operators to access loans quickly.
In the first quarter of 2025, SME D Bank achieved its targets by providing over 19.8 billion baht in capital to SME operators, representing 11.75% growth compared to the same period in 2024. The majority went to small business operators with loan limits not exceeding 15 million baht per business, generating approximately 90.7 billion baht in economic circulation and supporting over 541,700 jobs. Outstanding credit reached over 100 billion baht, up 3.05% year-on-year.
Simultaneously, the bank developed over 1,900 SME operators through its development program, focusing on marketing, revenue increase, and business expansion via new market channels suited to the digital era. The bank provided consulting on cost reduction through clean energy, technology, and innovation. Activities included opening SME D Market with free booth space, teaching online marketing and AI applications. The bank's digital platform DX by SME D Bank (dx.smebank.co.th) saw 5,370 new service users, a 124% increase year-on-year, with cumulative membership exceeding 50,660.
The bank also provided support to over 5,590 vulnerable customers affected by various situations through debt restructuring and other assistance measures. Credit quality management remained efficient, with non-performing loans (NPLs) declining to approximately 7.857 billion baht or 7.86% by end of March 2025. The bank maintained a strong NPL Coverage Ratio of 158.52%, reflecting financial stability and resilience. SME D Bank will continue implementing its "umbrella" philosophy throughout the remaining three quarters of 2025 to help SMEs overcome crises and build sustainable foundations.
