Bangkok, Feb 21 (IANS): Thai banks' non-performing loan (NPL) ratio fell to 2.73 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, thanks to debt restructuring, the central bank said.

The figure edged down 0.04 percentage point from the previous quarter, with gross NPLs of 499.2 billion baht ($14.5 billion) registered at the end of 2022, according to the Bank of Thailand (BOT) as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

The banking system remained resilient with high levels of capital funds, loan loss provisions, and liquidity and was able to support the economic recovery and future loan demand, the BOT said in a statement on Monday.

The central bank will continue to monitor the debt serviceability of households and the recovery of some business groups, BOT assistant governor Suwannee Jatsadasak told a news conference.

Households remain vulnerable and may be impacted by the gradual rise in living costs and interest rates, said the BOT official.

According to the BOT, loans expanded 2.1 per cent in 2022, slowing from a 6.5 per cent growth in the previous year, partly due to the debt repayment by large corporations and the government sector.