Commercial banks have been closing some of their branches due to high operating costs, while the trend is to increasingly apply information technology to operate mobile banking. Banks are also changing the way they service customers, with banking agents one option, Veerathai said on the sidelines of an annual seminar hosted by the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations. Some banks want to work with banking agents in remote areas, since setting up a full branch would cost too much, he said. Post offices and other institutions or individuals that meet the required qualifying criteria could be given licences from the BOT and commercial banks, he added. Asked whether he was worried about unemployment should the banks close more branches, Veerathai said that with proper training banks could designate staff to work on other tasks.

Source: The Nation Bangkok January 23, 2018 12:11 UTC