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Only investors with experience and knowledge of investment products and a high level of assets can invest in primary and secondary markets for SMEs.

Thailand’s SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) is will soon be ready to issue regulations to allow SMEs and startups to raise funds via public offerings (SME-PO), in line with plans to also establish a dedicated secondary market to trade in SME shares within 2021.

Allowing public offerings from SMEs and startups will create greater access to capital markets for these companies which will enhance their business competency as well as drive the sustainable growth of the Thai economy, SEC Secretary-General Ruenvadee Suwannamongkol said in a statement on Wednesday (15 October 2021).

The SME board has been dubbed “LiVE Exchange”. The initiative is a collaboration between the SEC, the SET (Stock Exchange of Thailand), the OSMEP (Office of SMEs Promotion), as well as securities companies.

The SET says the new exchange’s trading approach will be auction-based at one round of trading per day, and settlement and delivery will be completed on the day of trading. More than 25 securities companies have expressed their interest in participating in LiVE Exchange.

To prepare SMEs and start-ups for the new exchange, the SET has initiated services such as e-Learning programs to share basic and in-depth knowledge, business coaching via LiVE Acceleration Program, and LiVE Incubation Program.

In May The SEC approved new rules to support SME-PO fundraising and the establishment of the SME Board. All the relevant regulations could be issued by 2021, the regular says.

SMEs and startups that are eligible to raise funds publicly will have to be a public limited company, which has a mechanism to protect investors under law. However, certain requirements will be adjusted as appropriate to not disproportionately burden startups seeking to raise funds. For example, they will not be required to have a financial advisor and no fees will be collected from firms looking to raise funds.

Only investors who have experience and knowledge of investment products and a high level of assets can invest in primary and secondary markets for SMEs. These include institutional investors, private equity trusts, venture capital funds, angel investors, and directors and employees of the SMEs raising funds.

Apart from the SME-PO, the SEC has implemented two other key fundraising channels for SMEs and startups. In 2020, the SEC allowed them to raise funds through private placements (SME-PP). Also last year, the SEC updated its regulations on crowdfunding. In the last two years, 83 SMEs and startups have raised THB 795 million through the two channels.

Source: https://www.regulationasia.com/sec-thailand-targets-2021-launch-for-new-sme-board/