The launch of the Asean Economic Community has opened up a new wave of opportunities. However, with Western banks pulling back from Asia and domestic banks all-powerful in the region's more developed markets, it may only be the Greater Mekong region that sees any discernible change to its financial landscape in the near future.
Despite a drop in exports, Thailand's private sector has been bolstered by a relaxation in market regulations regarding the listing of overseas operations, which has helped the country's corporations to thrive in a low-growth environment.
After a five-year spell of growth, Laos's economy stalled a little in 2014. However, with an improving regulatory environment, the launch of the Asean Economic Community and an improving foreign investment outlook, the country can still look forward with some optimism.
Cross-border expansion has become a key source of growth for many of Thailand's banks, which are well positioned to take advantage of opportunities in neighbouring Myanmar and Laos, both of which are at the start of what is expected to be a huge banking growth curve.
The governor of the Bank of Thailand, Prasarn Trairatvorakul, has seen the country's banking sector show remarkable resilience over the past few years. However, he is now looking for its lenders to expand their services into neighbouring countries, as well as offer more sophisticated products at home.