Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanich on Wednesday announced that the total amount of the government saving bonds would be increased to Bt80 billion from Bt50 billion due to high demand from savers.

The additional amount of Bt30 billion will be added into today's quota of Bt20 billion. If the Bt50-billion saving bonds are not sold out today, the left over would be sold tomorrow.

Korn said commercial banks, the government bond selling agents, have told him that the demand for government bonds from overall savers has exceeded the amount the government has allocated for elderly on Monday which was Bt30 billion.

The finance minister also added that the government plans to issue Islamic bonds or "Sukuk" with longer maturity than the saving bonds for Islamic savers later this year. The saving bond maturity is five years.

Korn added that all the bonds issued by the government or those to be issued later this year wouldn't result crowding out effect, but would help create active bond market.