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Credit Bureau: Micro-SMEs Face High Bad Debt Risk, Income Boost Needed

Credit Bureau: Micro-SMEs Face High Bad Debt Risk, Income Boost Needed

Prachachat•Economy•17h ago

Reader Briefing

The Credit Bureau highlights rising bad debt concerns for micro and small SMEs, advocating for income generation alongside debt relief measures.

  • •The Credit Bureau observes that household debt remains stable in 2025 due to banks slowing lending.
  • •There is a growing concern over the rise in Stage 2 debt, with micro-SMEs and small SMEs being particularly vulnerable to increasing non-performing loans (NPLs).
  • •Despite debt restructuring measures, NPLs continue to trend upwards, with the current NPL ratio for household debt exceeding 90 days at approximately 9.6%.
  • •The outlook for household debt in 2026 is expected to remain similar, with banks cautious about new lending, but NPLs may increase if economic growth is outpaced by debt.

Overview

  • •Household debt in 2025 is projected to be stable due to cautious lending practices by banks.
  • •The proportion of household debt exceeding 90 days in arrears (NPLs) has risen to approximately 9.6% from around 9% in the previous year.
  • •Micro-SMEs and small SMEs are identified as high-risk groups for increasing bad debt.
  • •Stage 2 debt (special mention loans) shows signs of increasing, posing a risk of becoming bad debt.
  • •Debt restructuring measures are acting as a 'dam' to prevent Stage 2 debt from escalating into NPLs.
  • •Efforts to resolve debt alone are insufficient; increasing income alongside debt resolution is crucial.
  • •Economic drivers, particularly agriculture and tourism, are essential for restoring household income.
  • •The Credit Bureau is developing detailed data segmented by product groups, expected within one week.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Quotes

Credit Bureau
"Debt resolution under the "Close Debt, Go On" project, started in January, aims to help around 3 million eligible debtors, with plans to expand to non-banks. However, debt resolution alone is insufficient; income must be increased simultaneously, driven by economic activity, especially agriculture and tourism."
การแก้ปัญหาหนี้ภายใต้โครงการ ”ปิดหนี้ไว ไปต่อได้“ ที่เริ่มดำเนินการตั้งแต่เดือนมกราคม เป็นความตั้งใจที่ดีในการช่วยเหลือลูกหนี้ที่มีศักยภาพสามารถเข้าโครงการได้ราว 3 ล้านราย และมีความตั้งใจที่จะขยายผลไปยังกลุ่ม Non-bank ในอนาคตเพื่อให้ครอบคลุมลูกหนี้มากขึ้น อย่างไรก็ดี มองว่าการแก้หนี้เพียงอย่างเดียวไม่เพียงพอ แต่ต้องมีการ “เติมเงิน” หรือเพิ่มรายได้ควบคู่ไปด้วย ซึ่งรายได้ของประชาชนจะกลับมาได้นั้นต้องพึ่งพาการขับเคลื่อนทางเศรษฐกิจ โดยเฉพาะในภาคการเกษตรและการท่องเที่ยวที่ต้องเร่งผลักดัน

Key Entities

Organization

Credit Bureau(เครดิตบูโร)ℹ️
An organization providing credit information, analyzing household and business debt situations.
Small SMEs(เอสเอ็มอีรายเล็ก)
Business entities categorized by size which are at risk of increasing non-performing loans.
Micro-SMEs(ไมโครเอสเอ็มอี)
Very small business entities identified as facing a high risk of escalating bad debt.
Bank of Thailand (BOT)(ธนาคารแห่งประเทศไทย (ธปท.))ℹ️
The central bank of Thailand, responsible for monetary policy and financial stability, which supports debt restructuring initiatives.
Non-bank
Financial institutions that provide credit or financial services but are not licensed as banks.

Law

Household Debt(หนี้ครัวเรือน)
The aggregate of debt owed by consumers within the country, analyzed for its stability and risk.
Bad Debt(หนี้เสีย)
Financial obligations that are unlikely to be repaid, a key indicator of financial distress.
NPLs(เอ็นพีแอล)
Non-Performing Loans are debts that have not been serviced for a defined period, indicating default.
Special Mention Loans (SM or Stage 2)(สินเชื่อกล่าวถึงเป็นพิเศษ (SM หรือ Stage 2))
A category of loans showing early signs of distress, before becoming classified as non-performing.
"Close Debt, Go On" Project(โครงการ ”ปิดหนี้ไว ไปต่อได้“)
A debt resolution initiative aimed at helping eligible debtors manage their financial obligations.