Thailand

Thailand’s bankruptcy court on Tuesday said it will hand down its decision on Thai Airways International Pcl’s request for restructuring on Sept. 14, Reuters reported. The court held two additional hearings on Aug. 20 and Aug. 25 when minor creditors opposed the carrier’s restructuring request. “The court will allow those who oppose the plan to submit their petitions within seven days from today,” the court said in a statement. Thai Airways submitted its petition for bankruptcy protection in May and received a stay on its debt.

The BOT (Bank of Thailand) has launched a new programme aimed at helping businesses severely hit by Covid-19 to expedite debt restructuring and facilitate their recovery amid the crisis. Launching the debt restructuring programme for businesses – known as ‘DR BIZ’ – the BOT said it wants to provide a mechanism to support coordination among multiple creditors and enable businesses to lessen their debt burdens, Regulation Asia reported.

Thailand’s fiscal policy should play a greater role to help the economy recover from the impact of the coronavirous pandemic, the central bank governor said on Friday, with the benchmark interest rate at a record low, Reuters reported. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) will focus on assisting with debt restructuring, Veerathai Santiprabhob told reporters after the launch of a debt restructuring programme for businesses. “In such critical condition, the one who is capable of stimulating the economy is the government...

Thailand’s bankruptcy court said on Monday it had scheduled two more days of hearings to consider Thai Airways International Pcl’s request for restructuring, Reuters reported. The Central Bankruptcy Court said in a statement 16 creditors opposed the airline’s restructuring proposals, of which three were institutional creditors and the rest, individual creditors. The court scheduled Aug. 20 and Aug. 25 for additional hearings for those opposing the plan. Thai Airways acting president, however, remained confident after the first hearing on Monday.

Thai Airways International Pcl shares were suspended by the bourse on Friday after auditors declined to sign off on its financial statements for the six months to June 30, the International New York Times reported on a Reuters story. Auditor Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Jaiyos Co Ltd said it could not reach a conclusion on the statements due to issues including a lack of liquidity and debt defaults which created "material uncertainty" and may affect the value of assets and liabilities.

Thailand’s long haul low cost carrier NokScoot Airlines will enter liquidation as the coronavirus pandemic worsened conditions for the struggling airline, its parent company Nok Airlines PCL said on Friday, Reuters reported. NokScoot, a joint venture between Thailand’s Nok Air and Singapore Airlines’ owned Scoot, wrestled to grow its network in a highly competitive sector for years and was yet to record a profit since formation in 2014.

Thailand’s central bank on Friday introduced additional debt relief measures, including interest rate cuts by 2-4 percentage points for credit cards and personal loans, to help debtors during the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reported. The maximum interest rate for credit cards will fall to 16% per year from 18%, while the rates for personal loans will be reduced to 24-25% from 28%, effective from Aug. 1, the central bank said in a statement. The new rates for revolving loans and instalment loans will be 25% and for auto title loans will be 24%.

Thai Airways International Pcl on Wednesday said it appointed board members as rehabilitation planners in a bankruptcy court submission, Reuters reported. The court accepted the airline’s request for bankruptcy protection earlier in the day, setting the first hearing for August 17. It gave creditors until three days before then to submit objections. The rehabilitation committee comprises the flagship carrier’s chairman Chaiyapruk Didyasarin, acting president Chakkrit Parapuntakul and three newly appointed board members, including its former CEO, Piyasvasti Amranand.

The Bank of Thailand cut its benchmark interest rate to a fresh record low and said it was ready to use additional policy tools if needed with the economy expected to shrink further. By a 4-3 vote, the central bank lowered the policy rate Wednesday by 25 basis points to 0.5%, its third cut this year, Bloomberg News reported. All but three of 24 economists in a Bloomberg survey correctly predicted the decision, with the others expecting no change.

Thailand’s cabinet approved a plan to restructure troubled Thai Airways International Pcl’s finances through a bankruptcy court, the Southeast Asian country’s prime minister said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. The plan for a court-led restructuring of the national carrier replaces a previous proposal of a government-backed rescue package that was heavily criticised in the country. The airline’s troubles are the latest example of how the coronavirus pandemic is crippling the global airline industry.