BRIEF-CIMB Thai Bank keeps 2012 loan target despite weak Q2

BANGKOK, July 20 (Reuters) - CIMB Thai Bank Pcl :

* Confident it will achieve its 2012 loan growth target of 20-30 percent versus 3.3 percent growth in the first half, President Subhak Siwaraksa told reporters

* Expects profitability to improve in the second half after a sharp drop in second-quarter net profit, mainly due to loan-loss provisions

* Aims for 2012 net interest margin of 3.5 percent versus 3.24 percent in the first half

* The Thai unit of Malaysia's CIMB Group Holding Bhd reported a net profit of 28.7 million baht ($907,200), down from 254.8 million a year earlier ($1 = 31.6350 Thai baht) (Reporting by Manunphattr Dhanananphorn; Writing by Khettiya Jittapong)