On the best available figures, non-performing loans (NPLs) reached nearly half of all loans in Indonesian and Thai banks, and NPL ratios reached double-digits in several other countries in the region. 5 The process of sorting out banking problems of this magnitude required, as it usually does, extensive public funding.
* 1  *  *  Introduction  Dear Mr Lamont, ladies and gentlemen It is a very great pleasure for me to welcome you all to this conference dinner in Eltville. I hope that you are enjoying your stay at the Bundesbank’s training centre.