MAP Thailand
The 2013 FinScope consumer survey found that 74% of the adult Thai population have a bank account, 23% use other formal financial services and a further 1% use informal financial services only. The high level of access can be attributed to the deliberate policies pursued by the government over the years. These policies have been largely government-led and financed, with the commercial sector playing a relatively minor role in providing access to credit and insurance, whilst taking the lead in the provision of savings and remittances.
The result was that state-provided, community-based and commercial financial services providers in Thailand were already more integrated in the provision of financial services to the low-income population than in comparable countries.
MAP Thailand was initiated to build on the current model, so that it can evolve to meet the need for more supervised financial services, a reduction in cost and an improvement in the quality of the services.
MAP Thailand’s 2013 synthesis report was an output of a Technical Assistance request by the Ministry of Finance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to develop a National Strategy for Financial Inclusion. The TA was funded by Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction with technical support from the United Nationals Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
