Bangkok, January 14, 2016 ? SEC Secretary-General Rapee Sucharitakul today announced the SEC Strategic Plan 2016-2018 to stakeholders from all sectors, placing a special focus on well-balanced and fundamental development of ecosystem in the Thai capital market to enhance trustworthiness as well as efficiency and competitiveness of intermediaries and the overall market.

The three-year strategic plan gives more weight to practical rules
and regulations developed from effective communication and understanding with all stakeholders. Rulemaking, however, will not be the only tool; other approaches are also incorporated to allow the investing public to access and benefit from the capital market. The said integrated strategic moves aim to contribute to the sustainable growth of the Thai capital market. 

?This blueprint is the result of thorough analysis and re-adjustment of focus. Each issue will be explored to the core with stakeholders? interest in mind to ensure right-to-the-point, effective problem solving. This involves interconnection among stakeholders with relevant, similar issues to create a well-balanced market ecosystem,? said SEC Chief.

Communication and education will be emphasized, apart from enforcement, for better understanding of stakeholders and target groups. Rulemaking is a tangible start for all parties involved in any particular matter to self-adjust in order to achieve respective goals, and subsquently strengthen market credibility, balanced market ecosystem, efficiency and competitiveness. Well-rounded perspectives and practicality are taken into account in response to increasing varieties of products and services in line with international standards. Also, the general public can access and make use of capital market by means of fundraising and investment, as the case maybe.

The strategic plan covers four main areas, i.e.,  fundraising, market and intermediaries, , financial products, and SEC organizational development.  

Fundraising: upcoming important projects include introduction of guidelines for integrating corporate governance practices and ESG (environment, social, and governance) conceptinto listed companies? business operations. The SEC is communicating the benefits of CG/ESG implementation with company boards of directors, executives and major shareholders. Institutional investors will be a key driver to promote such implementation, while supervision of financial advisors will be strengthened on par with securities businesses in general. In addition, more emphasis will be given to the roles of executives responsible for finance and accounting. Information disclosure format will be revised to be more interesting, concise and user-friendly. Rules on material and related party transactions have been amended in line with those of the regional markets. Promotion of shareholders? voting, and easy-to-understand and accessible information disclosure is also focused.   

Market and intermediaries: The SEC is revising relevant rules in line with international standards and cooperating with the Stock Exchange of Thailand to enhance relationship with Mekong regional counterparts on a continuous basis. This includes promotion of products that would generate mutual benefits for the markets on both sides of the riverbank. For example, establishment of funds to invest in securities listed on the regional markets. Furthermore, licensing and supervisory frameworks will be restructured to promote constructive competition that allows greater opportunities for intermediaries to undertake more varieties of businesses, while welcoming newcomers and advanced technology to serve investors? increasing demands.  

In addition, efficiency of legal enforcement will be enhanced by improving timeframes of case management on investigation and complaint handling, and cooperating with relevant agencies such as the SET to ensure that legal action will be seriously taken against wrongdoers. Civil sanction will also be promoted as another enforcement tool.

Financial product development: relevant regulations will be amended for effective supervision on innovative products and transactions. Supervisory efficiency with regard to issuance quality, information disclosure, and sales of investment products will also be enhanced to prevent exploitation of investors. Market accessibility via technological channels will be promoted to facilitate fundraising of small-and medium business enterprises and start-ups, and investment of the general public. Significant efforts will be geared to provident fund investment to promote retirement savings.   

SEC organizational development: adjustment of work process in various areas and improvement of staff?s knowledge and skills in line with the changing environment will be a key approach to enhance operational efficiency and promote the SEC role as a learning organization.

?The SEC will continue to develop the capital market by exercising our core value of openness, insightfulness, collaboration and integrity. Market participants and stakeholders can rest assured that the SEC will move forward with all sectors to achieve the goals set forth in the strategic plan and the sustainable growth of the capital market,? said Mr. Rapee.