SET President Asadej Kongsiri says Thai firms are signaling strong intent to improve shareholder returns, following reforms inspired by Japan and South Korea. He notes that lasting investor confidence will depend on companies generating genuine long-term value for shareholders.

Bangkok

The Thai stock market has experienced significant growth since its recent low, with reforms underway to further improve the investment environment. Authorities are working with market participants and regulators to enhance demand quality, introduce new investment accounts, and launch programs like Jump Plus to encourage corporate value creation. 

Efforts are also being made to streamline the listing process and support emerging industries such as healthcare and food technology. There is a growing recognition among Thai business leaders of the need for greater accountability to shareholders, with recent events and increased advocacy from investors and the media driving positive changes in corporate governance.

Thai corporates show ‘strong willingness’ to boost shareholder returns

If you take a look at the nearer term trajectory, I think the market hit low in June, and since then it's rocketed. It's up about 21%. What I'm actually more interested in is beyond the IPO pipeline and plans for your reforms, including changing the uptick rule for short selling, is this. We've seen in places like South Korea, you know, reforms in Japan as well. It's corporate governance. It's value up. Are you considering or thinking about similar sorts of moves or changes for the Bangkok market that will result in the most important, the improvement in the most important metric of all for any foreign investor, which is higher ROEs, return on equity, for listed companies in Thailand? No, no, thank you for asking that. So, to your original question on reforms that we've been announcing, we've been working closely with participants in the capital market and regulators as well to improve four key factors. Obviously, one is the quality of demand. That is to help new investors as well as existing investors grow interest in the market. The government is looking to announce, similar to the Nisa savings account in Japan, I think we might be calling it Thailand individual investment account, which should be, the details should be coming out in the near future. On the supply side, as you said, we've actually launched a program called Jump Plus. It's similar to the value up program that you've mentioned for Japan and Korea. We launched this mid this year. We now have over 70 participants from the corporate sector that have signed up. The key issue there is our existing companies. We want them to grow more aggressively, to invest more aggressively, to create value for shareholders. And ultimately, once these plans are in place, we look to help them communicate to the investment community. Going forward as well, in terms of the re-looking at the listing process, it ultimately comes down to making business easier, listing easier. So not only for existing industries, but we're looking at ways to fast track new economies as well, new industries. I think Thailand has action in health care, in food tech, that we'd like to push forward. All right, Khun Nastadit, these changes you're talking about are changes in rules and regs. It's on paper, right? But what I'm curious about is the will. And this is psychological. This is also cultural. JP knows this, and I know this well as well, covering this part of the world for many, many years. The whole change that needs to take place is companies in Thailand and the people behind them, often very rich, very powerful business interests, families, in other words, tycoons and their families. They've got to get used to the idea that, look, we're publicly listed. We're taking other people's money, and we need to run our business in these companies and be accountable to shareholders and stakeholders. We're not just doing it for ourselves, it's for our families. Do you get a sense, and tell me honestly, do you get that sense that change is taking place in Thailand, or is it going to take activist investors prodding and poking and threatening to make it happen? We do see changes in the positive way in that issue. The recent events or examples, or bad examples, I guess, in the last two to three years have highlighted a lot of these issues and made awareness. Investors' voices, the press has been a strong advocate for changes in this area. So I think the overall capital market is playing an important role in pushing these issues, and from my own conversations with business owners, with managers of companies, of listed companies, they are stronger awareness, stronger, willing to try and make changes here.

The Trump administration is awaiting word from the Supreme Court after asking it to allow the immediate deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. A lower court blocked the move.

Portland

Tensions rising in Portland, Oregon over immigration tactics

President Trump posted a video of a U.S. military strike on a submersible suspected of smuggling drugs. Two people were killed in the strike but the survivors were brought to a Navy ship. Trump says the U.S. will send the them back to their home countries for prosecution.

Washington

Trump says survivors of U.S. drug submersible will be sent home

The U.S. State Department issued a warning that Hamas appeared to be planning an attack 'against Palestinian civilians,' warning that such an attack would 'constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement'.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

State Dept. flags ceasefire violation by Hamas

Britain's Prince Andrew said on Friday he would give up using his title of Duke of York following years of criticism about his behavior and connections to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Windsor

Prince Andrew gives up title of Duke of York

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy came to the White House on Friday looking for weapons to keep fighting his country's war with Russia, but met an American president who appears more intent on brokering a peace deal than upgrading Kyiv’s arsenal.

Ukraine Invasion

Trump pauses on sending Tomahawks to Ukraine

Tension is rising between the U.S and Venezuela. The latest threats from the US warning of stronger measures against Nicolas Maduro’s government — have sparked both fear and fragile hope across Venezuela.

Caracas

Venezuela on high-alert amid U.S strikes

In the aftermath of a destructive Typhoon Halong, historic floodwaters have destroyed remote communities across western Alaska, forcing hundreds of evacuations that could continue for days.

Kipnuk

Mass evacuations in Alaska after record floodwaters

Mr. Trump seemed open to trading U.S.-made Tomahawk's for Ukrainian-made drones, but then he argued Ukraine might not even need new weapons if he can broker a swift end to the invasion.

Trump says he'd rather broker peace than send Tomahawks to Ukraine

President Trump announced that he has commuted former New York Rep. George Santos' sentence on Friday in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

President Trump commutes George Santos' sentence

The head of the World Trade Organization said on Thursday (October 16) she is urging the U.S. and China to de-escalate trade tensions, warning that a decoupling between the world's two largest economies could reduce global economic output by 7% over the longer-term.

WTO urges U.S., China to ease trade war or risk global growth

John Bolton pleaded not guilty at a Maryland federal court on Friday (October 17). This comes after the former Trump administration national security adviser was indicted on 18 counts for his alleged mishandling of classified information.

Greenbelt

John Bolton pleads not guilty to criminal charges

Buckingham Palace announced Friday that Prince Andrew is giving up his royal titles. This comes after a posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre emerged.

London

Prince Andrew giving up his royal titles, Buckingham Palace says

U.S. President Donald Trump is meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues. On Thursday, Trump spent more than two hours on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump set to meet with Zelenskyy

Ahead of a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, Trump cast doubt on supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, citing U.S. stock concerns. He also discussed the issue with Russian President Putin, who opposed the idea, raising questions about future Ukraine aid.

Trump questions sending Tomahawks to Ukraine after Putin call

At least one person was killed and dozens of police officers injured in widespread protests overnight in Peru against President Jose Jeri, who assumed power just days ago. The government will declare a state of emergency in Lima within hours and is preparing a package of measures to tackle rising insecurity.

Lima

Peru to impose state of emergency after violent clashes

The espionage case against Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash collapsed after government officials refused to testify under oath that China posed a threat to national security.

MI5 chief warns China a ‘daily threat’ after spy case collapse

NATO is increasing its capabilities on its eastern flank after recent Russian drone incursions. At the same time the EU has announced a major defence policy roadmap aimed at deterring threats from Russia.

Šiauliai

NATO, EU step up defences to deter Russia

The U.S. military flew three B-52 bombers on missions near the coast of Venezuela, according to a Global Strike Command spokesperson and a U.S. official, as the Trump administration continues to exert pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government.

U.S. flies B-52 bombers off the coast of Venezuela

A federal judge overturned a Homeland Security decision to cut anti-terrorism funding for New York City. The ruling comes as the Trump administration faces lawsuits from Democratic governors over similar cuts.

New York

Judge blocks Trump cuts to New York City's anti-terrorism funds

China has accused the U.S. of stoking panic over its rare earth controls and said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had made "grossly distorted" remarks about a top Chinese trade negotiator, rejecting a White House call to roll back the curbs.

Beijing

Global Tariffs

China blames U.S. for global panic over rare earths controls

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had a "productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announced plans for a meeting with Putin in Hungary.

Trump says he plans to meet with Putin in Hungary

Israel said it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt but set no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire. A row over the return of bodies of hostages from Gaza retains the potential to upend the truce.

Jerusalem

Netanyahu says fight with Hamas 'not over yet'

Tumultuous scenes unfolded during the public viewing of late Kenyan Prime Minister Ralia Odinga's body. The 80-year-old's coffin was on its way to a Nairobi stadium when security forces fired tear gas and gunshots into the crowds. At least two people have reportedly been killed.

Nairobi

Kenyan police open fire at mourners at Odinga public viewing

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Wednesday after airstrikes and ground fighting ramped up tensions between the South Asian neighbors, leaving more than a dozen civilians dead and 100 wounded.

Balochistan

Pakistan, Afghanistan agree temporary truce after fresh fighting

U.S. President Trump confirmed CIA covert operations in Venezuela during a press conference in the Oval Office on Wednesday. CBS News' Ed O'Keefe asked Trump about what that means for Nicolás Maduro.

Trump authorizes CIA covert operations in Venezuela

Israel is still limiting the number of aid trucks allowed to enter Gaza nearly a week after a ceasefire deal was agreed. It’s told the United Nations will only allow 300 per day - that's half the minimum number agreed under the truce.
The UN says even 600 trucks entering daily would not be enough to meet the needs of the population.

Gaza ceasefire fears as Israel limits aid trucks to less than agreed

President Trump confirmed that he has authorised the CIA to go into Venezuela and conduct covert operations.

Trump says he authorised covert CIA operations in Venezuela

Hamas is back on the streets of Gaza in an attempt, it says, to restore law and order -- and to send a message.

Hamas executes Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel

A federal judge in Oregon has extended temporary restraining orders that block the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland. Meanwhile, federal agents in Chicago used tear gas to disperse a crowd after a car chase ended in a crash.

Chicago

Federal agents deploy tear gas in Chicago despite court order

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily ordered the Trump administration to halt the firing of workers during the government shutdown.

Breakdown