Bangkok--18 Sep--SET Delegates from The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) visited Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), during September 11-13 to help establish a stock market there. The visit was in response to an invitation from Bank of Lao PDR. They met with Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavat and Lao government officials to discuss information exchange and future support. SET’s support for the LPDR Stock Exchange is included in the Exchange’s MOU with Bank of Lao PDR, signed on July 7, 2008. The Thai delegation, led by SET Chairman Pakorn Malakul Na Ayudhya, included President Patareeya Benjapolchai, Executive Vice President Vichate Tantiwanich and the project’s special working committee. “During this trip, SET provided information on Thai-Lao joint investment, which would be crucial for capital market fundraising. We invited Lao companies to list on both countries’ markets to create business opportunities for both nations and increase foreign listings on regional stock markets. Both countries agreed with the concept of an Indochina listing to strengthen both markets. SET has previously expressed its readiness to welcome foreign listings,” Ms. Patareeya said.The Thai delegates consulted with more than 150 representatives from the LPDR government, local commercial banks, Thai-Lao joint ventures and members of the media and delivered a seminar on SET’s operations, Thailand’s experience in capital market development. As partners in ASEAN, LPDR and Thailand have excellent bilateral relations at the government policy level. It is logical that their capital markets collaborate and drive the sustainable economic success of the two neighbors and support future business cooperation. “This marks the start of collaborative efforts to set up the LPDR Stock Exchange SET will provide ongoing training programs and specialists, covering regulatory matters, market operations and on-the-job training for our Lao counterparts,” Ms. Patareeya concluded.