Buying Thai Shares Advice Please

[makavelithedon]

Hi all,

I would appreciate if you would advise me on the best way to purchase blue chip type Thai stocks. I want to be able to buy direct on the exchange with an online platform, without pink slips etc. Is this difficult to do? Is it a simple credit card transaction?

Also, being far from fresh off the boat here, I am uneasy about the slightest risk and extra cautious, so an example.........I have a large stake in a top Thai stock and I run someone over one day by accident and kill them. I am chucked, out black stamp in the passport etc. How are my shares protected, private and easy for me to sell in this eventuality?

Don't wish to sound paranoid or OTT but we all know where we are!!

Many thanks in advance.

Edited April 2, 2009 by makavelithedon

[mark5335]

I looked into this last year and visited Bualuang Securities to set up an account (they are partially owned by Bangkok Bank...they have a few branches in Bangkok such as Emporium and Abdulrahim Place). There was a lot of paperwork involved in the initial set up, and this, coupled with the fact that around that time the market was tanking, I postponed the set up of the account.

However, online trading was one of the features offered, along with stock research papers etc. Settlement could not be done through credit card, rather, through direct debit to my Bangkok Bank a/c.

With regards to your concern...I guess this risk is prevalent in many other countries also. You would be able to execute your sale order online from overseas. However, remitting your sale preceeds to an overseas account is unlikely to be possible.

Edited April 2, 2009 by mark5335

[Time Traveller]

Hi all,

I would appreciate if you would advise me on the best way to purchase blue chip type Thai stocks. I want to be able to buy direct on the exchange with an online platform, without pink slips etc. Is this difficult to do? Is it a simple credit card transaction?

Also, being far from fresh off the boat here, I am uneasy about the slightest risk and extra cautious, so an example.........I have a large stake in a top Thai stock and I run someone over one day by accident and kill them. I am chucked, out black stamp in the passport etc. How are my shares protected, private and easy for me to sell in this eventuality?

Don't wish to sound paranoid or OTT but we all know where we are!!

Many thanks in advance.

I think you'll find that to take a large stake in a top Thai company you'll need a lot more than any credit card would advance you. Depending on what you define a top Thai company you're looking at the range of 50 or 100 million US dollars or more. In any case no broker will allow you to purchase securities with your credit card. As foreigner you'll need cash, and credit account (the same as margin loans) for purchasing securities is not available.

First, check out the Set website for member brokers and chose one or more to speak with and decide which service is best for you. (BFIT Sec. or Kim Eng are good)

You have nothing to worry about for your investment in the case you are convicted of an offense and not allowed into the country. The exception however, is if Law enforcement believes your crime related to Drug trade and / or money laundering. In which case all of your assets could be confiscated. If you are looking at investing a large sum, then you should consult a lawyer beforehand.

Good luck

[ace]

Buy a fund, in your home country or offshore.

[chiangmaibruce]

There are heaps of previous discussion threads here about how to buy thai shares, suggest you use the search facility top right this page and study some of them.

You will see some threads about who are the best brokers, how to set up an account with them, etc

be aware that the thai version of a 'blue chip share' (high liquidity, regular high dividends, relatively stable share prices, etc) may not be your version (as per a large mature stock market). the thais will nominate shares like ptt, bangkok bank etc but perhaps a better alternative might be an investment in one or more a listed property funds (see bangkok post and The nation articles, both yesterday)

No trouble to get funds out generally speaking. you nominate a thai account when you sign up with the broker. you choose one with internet banking. you then do an online sell order and the proceeds go to your thai account (3 days). you then use internet banking to transfer from your thai account to your cayman islands account (or wherever you are). easy as