Bangkok--16 Jul--SET The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), in conjunction with Thai Listed Companies Association (TLCA) and Money Channel, has surveyed listed firms’ CEO’s about current and future factors and trends affecting their businesses. The results of the study, called the Thailand Quarterly Economic Outlook Survey 2007, will be used to construct company performance and investment-related indicators. “This latest undertaking further illustrates a collaborative approach to transforming the Thai stock market into an attractive integrated regional market - a major goal of SET’s three-year strategic plan. “Because the research is based on the insights of top-level executives in a range of industries, the results are highly relevant to business and investment, and accurately reflect overall economic and capital market trends,” SET President Ms. Patareeya Benjapolchai said. As part of its policy of keeping investors fully informed, SET will ensure the widest possible distribution of this information. The Exchange will use the results in those of its projects which support the development of listed firms, e.g. corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate governance (CG). A variety of parties will benefit from the study. While the outcomes may strengthen listed companies strategically and competitively, research analysts can employ the findings in their investigations. This research will also contribute to the formulation of capital market and related policy. SET Research Institute (SRI) will undertake an analysis of the survey data to compare the responses of individual participating listed firms against their respective industries and overall listed firms. By specifying the views of CEO’s on current economic and political trends, the study provides a partial insight into the overall Thai economic and political situation, SRI Advisor Dr. Kobsak Pootrakool said. Thailand Quarterly Economic Outlook Survey 2007 found that, in 2007, 60% of executives expected to see 3.5% GDP growth or more, and 70% were confident that 2008 will be better than 2007 for investment expansion. Nearly 70% of respondents believed investment will increase over the next 12 months, while 30% thought it would remain steady. “Areas covered by the survey included the economy, business expansion, investment, capital-raising, human resource demands, operational issues, business outlook, competitiveness, CG, CSR and the effects of external factors - such as global economic and political conditions, interest rates, exchange rates and oil prices. “The study’s respondents were the chief executives of 110 public companies responsible for about 50% of Thailand’s total financial market capitalization. Generally speaking, they were confident about the current economic outlook,” TLCA President Ms. Pensri Suteerasarn said. SRI will distribute the research results to public and private bodies for further analysis, and to contribute to policy-formulation on issues such as comparative advantage and business opportunities. Other dissemination points will be the Money Channel, TLCA’s website www.lca.or.th, and SET’s website www.set.or.th For more information about the study, please visit www.lca.or.th and www.set.or.th For more information, please contact the Corporate Communications Dept.: Ladawan Kantawong Tel: 0-2229-2036 / Sarinluck Jitkawong Tel: 0-2229-2037 / Nattaporn Boonprapa Tel: 0-2229-2049 / Watsamon Saowakhonsathien Tel: 0-2229-2797