Weerapat Wonk-Urai, an analyst at CGS International Securities Group, said if the conflict between Iran and the US-Israel alliance ends within one month, there will be no impact on the Thai banking sector. CGS analysed banking sector data during oil price spikes in 2003, 2019 and 2023. "If the oil price stays at or above $100 per barrel for six months, we believe the direct impact on banks' loan growth and earnings will be small. Thai banks focus their lending and non-lending businesses on domestic activities with diversified loan portfolios in different business sectors," he said. This could pave the way for strong non-interest income growth for Thai banks this year, he said.

Source: Bangkok Post March 18, 2026 22:34 UTC