Ayudhya Capital Services, also known as Krungsri Consumer, the consumer-finance arm of Bank of Ayudhya, has seen a significant drop in its credit-card spending since His Majesty’s death, especially in the dining category, said Krungsri Consumer managing director Nayanee Peaugkham.
Normally, the fourth quarter accounts for 40 per cent of total yearly spending with its cards, but Krungsri Consumer expects the gloomy sentiment to last into December. Therefore it is considering revising down its full-year credit-card-spending forecast, she said.
“We have cancelled all above-the-line activities including concerts to enhance spending in the fourth quarter, and promotions have been offered to cardholders at the selling points instead,” she said.
For example, Krungsri Consumer had planned an energetic campaign to promote iPhone 7 purchases last week, but it now has been toned down, and is only being communicated to customers in mobile-phone shops.
Teranuj Koomsap, executive vice president of Thanachart Bank, said spending with the bank’s credit cards plunged on October 14, the day after His Majesty passed away. Spending now has picked up a bit, but it is not as lively as before.
“Credit-card spending during long weekends normally rises, but it was flat during the recent long weekend,” she said, referring to October 22-24.
TBank has cancelled above-the-line activities for its credit card as well. Normally, the fourth quarter accounts for 30 per cent of its total annual credit-card spending.
TBank has maintained its target for monthly credit-card spending at between Bt2 billion and Bt2.5 billion. However, the bank will carefully monitor the situation into early next year.
Supaneewan Chutrakul, first senior vice president of Kasikornbank, said its customers had used credit cards to purchase black clothing, so overall spending via KBank cards had not slowed as much as expected. However, the bank will review the overall rate of consumption again to analyse how it will affect credit-card spending this quarter.
KBank has cancelled its credit-card promotions during the mourning period, including text messages sent to its customers.