1.   ANZ China president Justin Breheny said Thursday that ANZ has been vigorously campaigning for one of the five to eight banking licences to be issued by Chinese authorities.

2.   Banking licences are easily available.

3.   Unlike UOB, ABN-AMRO also has a full branch banking licence in Thailand.

4.   It said the objective of the merger was to apply for a new commercial banking licence, with the bid to be led by Nava and Thaimex.

5.   Local banks have been reluctant to merge because the move would mean having to give up much-coveted banking licences.