Simple finance for young students

Armed with such knowledge, they will become both well-informed and prudent in personal finance management. 
 Some 800 students and 100 volunteer trainers from Krungsri Group are expected to participate in the programme by this year-end. The training will focus in five areas - Smart Consumer, Smart Employee, To Be an Entrepreneur, Basic Saving and Investment, and Managing Your Loan.
 Mark Arnold, Krungsri Group President & CEO, said this financial literacy project is the Group’s signature CSR (corporate social responsibility) activity this year, in which Krungsri leverages the knowledge and skills of the Bank and its affiliates in educating youths who are soon to enter the job market about financial discipline.  Krungsri is delighted to have OVEC’s support to this project.
 “Krungsri Simple Finance” complements Krungsri branding efforts under the “Krungsri Make Life Simple” concept, launched in the middle of last year, which focuses on services and financial products marked by simplicity so as to penetrate more diverse customer groups.  It conforms with a policy of the Finance Ministry that requires financial institutions to serve as the media for financial education to the public.
 “Financial products have increasingly become a part of consumers’ everyday life.  At the same time, more financial products are constantly coming on to the market, so financial institutions should be educating consumers on proper choice,” he said.
 Through its 66 years, Krungsri Group has focused its social projects on youth education development, support to religion, arts and culture, environmental issues, health care, and relief to people affected by natural disasters, or poverty alleviation projects.
  To Pradit Rasitanon, OVEC Deputy Secretary-General, additional practical training is welcomed, particularly that on personal financial matters which are relatively new to the Thai educational circle. 
 "This would give participating students basic knowledge of financial management before their employment.  Once they have earned their money, the knowledge will definitely come in handy for self-management,” he said.
 According to Rosathorn Chiaraprasertkul, Senior Vice President and Manager, Krungsri Corporate Communications and Public Relations Group, this year the group plans to enroll  some 800 students of Chetupon Commercial College and Thonburi Commercial College.  Over 100 project volunteers from Krungsri and its subsidiaries have also signed up. This followed the successful pilot project at Chetupon Commercial College, for 40 senior students.
 “Our focus is on fun activities designed to induce participation and on asking questions to encourage trainees to think and solve problems by themselves—unlike the traditional one-way teaching method.  Through this interactive mode of teaching, trainees will master lessons while being able to link lessons to everyday life more readily,” Rosathorn added.