Bangkok--Jan 5--SET
The Stock Exchange of Thailand plans to focus on increasing the number of quality investors by providing more education for subscribers of IPO shares. Around 90 companies and state enterprise plan to list on the SET and the MAI in 2005.
Ms. Sopawadee Lertmanaschai, Executive Vice President of The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), revealed that in 2005 the SET’s strategy will be to increase the number of quality investors by continuing investment promotion activities and investment education for eligible IPO share subscribers, including mutual fund investors and the employees of listing companies and state enterprises who will be allocated with new shares. Ms. Sopawadee predicts that approximately 500,000 new accounts will be opened at Thailand’s securities companies in 2005. This can be compared to the 383,591 new accounts opened as of September 30, 2004. She also predicts a total of 650,000 accounts being held by those who will invest in mutual funds in 2005 as compared to the 600,000 accounts this year.
“Currently, some general investors do not study information on IPO shares thoroughly enough before making their decisions. Therefore, the SET will make it possible for eligible IPO share subscribers to conveniently receive news and data of listing companies through its Settrade.Com website, which has attracted a lot of interest from investors. The Settrade.Com website, as well as the uses of different media by the SET, especially electronic media, has become quite popular amongst investors for their convenience in searching and downloading needed data,” she continued.
Moreover, the SET will jointly organize an activity with the Securities Analysts Association (SAA) to educate those who are interested in subscribing in IPO shares. It is expected that more than 80,000 interested individuals will participate in this activity. In addition, the SET will provide investment education to employees of both listed and to-be-listed companies and state enterprises, under the SET Visit project. “Project personnel are expected to visit around 36 companies which have a total of approximately 3,600 employees,” said Ms. Sopawadee.
SAA will invite investment specialists to provide information and answer questions, in person, to participating companies’ employees, so that they will be able to directly receive useful information and proper clarifications so that they can become more confident in their making of subscription and investment decisions. As a result, the stock market will then see a greater number of quality investors.
At the same time, the SET will continue to cooperate with Association of Investment Management Companies to use the “Let the Money Work Through Mutual Fund” project to continuously educate mutual fund investors. This special effort is because there have been great numbers of mutual fund investors of both the long-term and the retirement mutual funds. These investors are entitled to receive tax breaks from the government, especially those who have decided to invest in long-term funds in 2004, when the privilege was first granted.
“The SET believes that these investors must possess adequate knowledge and understanding about stock investment so that they are better able to make crucial decisions before investing in funds. We predict that more interested investors will decide to buy into mutual funds in the future, said Ms. Sopawadee.
In addition to educating this target group, the SET will continue to organize successful investment promotion activities in 2005, such as “SET in the City” and “Money Expo”, as well as the SET roadshows to the 6 provinces where their total trade value top the provinces in their respective regions. This is to emphasize essential information and knowledge as well as to better learn the needs of investors from around the country. Meanwhile, 2 investment promotion activities will also be jointly organized with foreign institutional investors.
In 2005, the SET will join SAA in promoting the compilation of analyses, 140 of which came out in 2004. This compilation covers all sectors and will provide all investors with high quality securities analyses to help them make their investment decisions.
For more information,
please contact the Corporate Communication Dept.:
Ladawan Kantawong Tel: 0-2229-2036 /
Kulvida Jintakawong Tel: 0-2229-2037 /
Nattaporn Boonprapa Tel: 0-2229-2049 End.