(Nov 4): Thailand’s government, looking to shore up its stock market, plans to roll out additional incentives to entice tech company initial public offerings (IPOs).
The government wants to see more stock market listings from makers of electronic parts, electric vehicles and other high-tech products, said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary-general of the Board of Investment. The agency is working with the Stock Exchange of Thailand on the new incentives, he said.
Thai officials are simplifying stock-listing and IPO procedures as part of a broader drive to strengthen the competitiveness of the nation’s capital market and attract global investors. The goal is to lure high-quality companies to the local bourse and draw more foreign inflows to Thailand.
“International investors have long complained about a lack of high-technology companies in our stock market” even as the global manufacturers increasingly invest in the country, Narit said at a conference on Tuesday. “We will encourage those companies to consider tapping funds from the stock market to fund their investments and improve corporate governance.”
Thailand’s benchmark stock index has dropped more than 7% this year, and international funds have withdrawn about US$3 billion.
See also: Coliwoo Holdings closes at 58.5 cents on first day of trading, below IPO price of 60 cents
Companies and their shareholders have raised a total of about 11 billion baht (US$338 million) from initial public offerings so far this year, compared with 29 billion baht for full-year 2024, according to data compiled by Bloomberg and the stock exchange. In 2021, as much as 137 billion baht was raised from IPOs.
Meanwhile, applications for investments hit a record high of 1.37 trillion baht in the first nine months of 2025, led by data-centre and smart-electronics manufacturing projects, according to the Board of Investment.
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