Bangkok--3 Apr--SET The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), in conjunction with Krung Thai Bank (KTB) and its subsidiaries, will host the Wealth+ (Wealth Plus) program to promote investment in long-term equity funds (LTFs) and retirement mutual funds (RMFs) among the bank group’s employees. The program will tap a pool of about 100,000 people before further extending to other employees. Initially the bourse expects at least 5,000 people to participate, investing THB 500 million. This year, SET plans to increase the number of unit holders by 75,000. A key strategy is to promote regular investment in LTFs and RMFs. The bourse will collaborate with asset management firms to enlarge the mutual fund investor base, SET President Patareeya Benjapolchai said. Krung Thai Asset Management (KTAM) will advise KTB group employees participating in the Wealth+ program. Meanwhile, in liaison with the provident fund managers and human resources departments of other firms, SET will host educational sessions for other corporations with more than 500 employees, to further highlight the advantages of investment in LTFs or RMFs. “We believe the program is a good start for future product development and promotes awareness of money management. The Exchange will work with other financial institutions to further boost investment by employees,” Ms. Patareeya added. “We are pleased to be working with SET on the Wealth+ program. Encouraging our employees to invest in LTF and RMF accords with the bank’s objective of being a ‘convenience bank’, providing a wide range of products meeting customers’ needs, KTB President Apisak Tantivorawong said. Under this program, THB 500 will be deducted, on a voluntary basis, from employees’ monthly salaries. Initially Wealth+ will serve 14 corporations in the KTB group and firms that are using KTAM as their provident fund manager. These firms combined have 144,000 employees, KTAM Chief Executive Officer Somchai Boonnamsiri said. “We expect that the service will extend to provident fund members of other firms and listed companies,” Mr. Somchai concluded. Over the past year, SET has worked KTB group in the cyber-branch project which is now operating in 10 of the bank’s branches in different provinces.