Gold Prices Rise as Weak US Jobs Data Cuts Fed Hike Bets 
OPEC+ Expected to Hold November Oil Output Quotas Steady 
OPEC+ Keeps November Oil Output Targets Steady 
Euro Hits 17-Month Low as France Debt Fears Boost Dollar 
Ukraine Faces $56 Billion Budget Gap as War Costs Soar 
Hong Kong Stocks Slip as Property, Financial Shares Weigh 
Scope Warns US Debt Could Hit 160% of GDP 
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await U.S. Jobs Data 
Europe EV Sales Hit Record as Affordable Models Boost Demand 
Asian Stocks Rally as Soft US Jobs Data Boosts Tech 
Middle East Oil Exports Top Pre-War Levels Despite Hormuz Attacks 
Yen Strengthens on Tokyo Inflation as Dollar Awaits US Jobs Data 
Asian Stocks Mixed as Markets Await U.S. Jobs Data 
High Rates Weigh on U.S. Home Improvement Demand 
India-US Trade Deal Talks Hit Plateau, Sitharaman Says 
US Stock Futures Rise as Weak Jobs Data Eases Fed Hike Bets 
AI Agents Could Disrupt Financial Services, Bernstein Says 
Add as a preferred source on Google
Thailand’s Stock Exchange plans to introduce a dual-class share structure by 2027, aiming to attract more companies to the country’s struggling IPO market while allowing founders to retain greater control over their businesses.
The proposed reform would amend Thailand’s public company law to permit listed companies to issue multiple classes of shares with different voting rights. This would enable founders and controlling shareholders to sell a larger portion of their equity to public investors without surrendering voting control.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) is working with the Finance Ministry, Securities and Exchange Commission and other government agencies on the changes. SET Chairman Kitipong Urapeepatanapong said the amendment is expected to receive parliamentary approval this year.
The initiative comes as Thailand’s IPO market experiences a severe slowdown. Companies have raised only about 700 million baht ($21.6 million) through initial public offerings so far in 2026, down 95% from 2025. At the current pace, 2026 would be Thailand’s weakest IPO year since the SET began collecting the data in 2003.
Urapeepatanapong said many family-owned businesses avoid stock market listings or offer only limited stakes because of concerns about losing control or becoming takeover targets. Dual-class shares could help these companies access public capital while preserving founder influence.
Family-owned businesses represented 705 of the 843 companies listed on the Thai exchange as of July. Together, they had a market capitalization of 10.93 trillion baht, accounting for approximately 54% of Thailand’s total listed market value.
The SET also expects the reform to address limited free float, a longstanding concern among international investors. Some major Thai companies have relatively few shares available for public trading, restricting liquidity and investment opportunities.
By allowing controlling shareholders to maintain stronger voting rights while selling more equity, Thailand hopes to increase IPO activity, expand public share ownership and improve stock market liquidity. The framework would also align Thailand more closely with Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia, where dual-class share structures are already permitted.
