Bangkok--5 Jun--SET
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the Professor Sangvian Indaravijaya Foundation and the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy at Thammasat University are promoting Thammasat’s “Good Corporate Governance” program as an elective course for undergraduate students. The course will deepen students’ understanding of corporate governance (CG) and provide a pool of qualified recruits to strengthen Thai organizations.
SET often emphasizes to listed companies the importance of CG in ensuring long-term international competitiveness and credibility, and the sustainable development of the Thai Capital Market. As part of its mission, the Exchange continues to encourage public companies and related organizations, such as securities firms, financial advisors and general investors, to develop a more sophisticated understanding and appreciation of good CG, SET President Ms. Patareeya Benjapolchai said.
In implementing its CG policy, SET focuses on three main aspects: 1) rules and regulations, including publishing a manual for listed companies; 2) direct consultation with public firms’ executives and management, through the Exchange’s Corporate Governance Center; and 3) public education, including seminars and training sessions dealing with the roles and duties of listed firms’ executives, and more broadly-targeted programs in collaboration with other agencies.
“The proposed higher education course on CG has already led to the development of a draft curriculum and a textbook outline for teachers. All these are to be discussed today (June 4, 2007) at the ‘Good Corporate Governance Curriculum” seminar,’” Ms. Patareeya added.
As a pioneer of corporate governance in Thailand, Prof. Sangvian Indaravijaya had always dreamt of developing a CG higher education curriculum, Prof. Sangvian Indaravijaya Foundation Director Surapoj Suwanpanich, M.D., declared.
“I trust that this course will nurture good students, who are our country’s future. I would like to see CG grow strong like a magnificent great tree, whose roots and goodness permeate all levels of life in Thailand,” said Dr. Surapoj.
Thammasat’s Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy has broken new ground in drafting a textbook and introducing the CG course for undergraduate students in the 2007 academic year, Thammasat University’s Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy’s Dean Assoc. Prof. Gesinee Witoonchart said.
“This is a first for Thailand. We will be reviewing the pedagogy, content and results of the course and, together with SET, will improve the program with a view to making available to all universities through the University Networking project,” Assoc. Prof Gesinee concluded.
The discussion at today’s seminar was led by Prof. Dr. Anya Kanthavit, Assoc. Prof. Jirat Sungkaew, Asst. Prof. Dr. Sillapaporn Srijunpetch and Asst. Prof. Dr. Suthisak Kraisornsuthasinee.