Bangkok--2 Aug--SET Thailand Securities Depository Co., Ltd. (TSD) reported that 95,588 dividend checks, worth THB 99.41 million (approx. USD 2.94 million), sent out to shareholders have been returned. While it is trying to get in touch with recipients, it is also promoting e-Dividend to facilitate collection through bank accounts and avoid this problem in future. “Every time that there is a dividend payout, there are a large number of dividend checks returned. In the first half of this year, 346 listed companies paid out dividends totaling THB 107.79 billion. TSD issued 352,160 dividend checks worth THB 51.56 billion and undertook 737,600 e-Dividend transactions to pay the remaining THB 56.23 billion. Half the checks, numbering 182,985 and worth THB 3.07 billion, were returned, with the largest check being for THB 4 million”, TSD Chief Executive Officer Ms. Sopawadee Lertmanaschai said. “For the interim dividend-payout season in September and October, TSD urges all shareholders to use e-Dividend, which is both a convenient and safe way to receive payment, and avoids the charges and time entailed in cashing checks at the bank. This would resolve the problem of missing and returned checks. To register for the service, shareholders need to present a copy of their citizen’s identification card and of the first page of their bank passbook at the TSD counter or any securities company with which they hold an account,” Ms. Sopawadee added. TSD is concerned that some shareholders might miss out on their benefits. In some cases, the depository is not able to reach them, and so urges anybody who holds shares in companies that have paid out dividends and has not received payment to contact TSD Call Center on 0 2229 2888. The 11 banks participating in e-Dividend are Bank of Ayudhya PCL, Bangkok Bank PCL, Bank Thai PCL, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC Bank, Kasikornbank PCL, Krung Thai Bank PCL, Siam City Bank PCL, Siam Commercial Bank PCL, Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) PCL. For more information, please contact TSD Business Development Dept.: Ms. Malyn Pienchob / Ms. Aunchalee Sutitakul Tel: 0-2229-2892/ 2897 Email: [email protected] http://www.tsd.co.th