masasabi natin na mahalaga rin ang msmes sa banking sector. kaya lamang, kulang pa rin ito sa tutuong panga - ngailangan ng ating msmes. estimates indicate that roughly 60 % of the credit needs of msmes remain unserved. simple ang dahilan nito : marami sa ating msme ’ s ay walang collateral na maiharap para maka - utang sa mga bangko, maliban sa kanilang proven track record as successful and responsible small entrepreneurs. dito po pumapasok ang bangko sentral at ang credit surety fund. sa ilalim po ng credit surety fund program ay mapapabilis ang pagbibigay ng pautang sa ating mga msmes dahilan sa pag - tutulungan ng lgus led here in cavite by governor ayong maliksi, ng ating mga kooperatiba, at ng iglf na itatag ang credit surety fund. with this as underlying surety, msme entrepreneurs without collateral can now borrow from the banks. this program therefore directly addresses the msme ’ s lack of collaterals. in other words, the program will democratize access to bank credit and help level the playing field for our msmes. ito pong credit surety fund ang magiging susi ng ating msmes para maka - utang sa mga bangko. at the heart of this program is the spirit of “ bayanihan ”. to our mind, the foundation and success of the program will depend ultimately on the cooperation and collaboration of all the participants in this multi - sectoral program : the national government through iglf, the local government led by its governor, msmes under the cooperatives, the banks that will provide the loans, and the bangko sentral which will provide rediscounting for up to 80 % for the msme loans. later, we shall have an audio - visual presentation that will explain the rationale, the process, and the objectives of this important public - private sector collaboration. sa ngalan po ng bangko sentral, binabati po namin ang lalawigan ng cavite sa pamumuno ni gobernor ayong maliksi ( talaga pong magaling at maliksi ang inyong gobernador! )

plan to allow securities companies to buy and sell foreign currencies with their clients within the scope of their brokerage business. lastly, foreign corporations located in neighboring countries are to be permitted to borrow direct loans in thai baht from domestic financial institutions to invest in greater mekong subregion ( gms ). we have also started to see the results of the increased flexibility, which helps multinational companies to establish treasury centers ( tc ) and international headquarters ( ihq ) in thailand. as of now, there are 13 companies holding treasury center licenses, of which 4 have been granted in the past 3 months, with one more awaiting approval from the ministry of finance. many more have also made inquiries which i am very glad to see. ladies and gentlemen, let me now turn to the concluding part of my talk tonight. amid the volatile global financial climate, thailand ’ s strong external positions will serve as buffers against financial shocks. the private sector ’ s prudent financial management and policymakers ’ credible policy will allow us to successfully ride with the global tides. in the real sector, the thai economy is expected to maintain its gradual recovery path, driven mainly by government spending and tourism. exports of goods, on the other hand, is subject to a slowdown in trading partners ’ economies and structural constraints of the thai industries. inflationary pressure remains subdued, but the headline inflation will gradually rise in line with a recent pick up in oil prices. against this backdrop, monetary policy stance will remain adequately accommodative to support economic activities, while safeguarding financial stability. over a longer horizon, the bank of thailand is committed to creating financial infrastructure and nurturing the financial eco - system to help lift up growth potentials of the thai economy. we aim to promote financial innovation, financial inclusion and bis central bankers ’ speeches financial literacy, as strong foundations for sustainable economic development. with regard to the payment systems, the new infrastructures are being built to support the transition towards the digital economy. rules and regulations on exchange - rate management are to be relaxed further for greater flexibility of investors and multinational companies. we believe these policies would put thailand on a strong foothold to serve as a regional connector to support closer economic integration. last but not least, let me once again thank the fcct for organizing this forum. the road ahead for the thai economy indeed brings new opportunities as well as challenges, urging us to adjust ahead of the changing conditions. being among policymakers, businesses, and journalists who