Thailand gains clout as Southeast Asia’s leading investor nation
Thailand has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s most enthusiastic investors in mutual funds as a growing middle class seeks ways to better manage its financial assets. “The Thai percentage is high, compared with the Southeast Asian average of about 10%,” said Yohei Kitano, senior analyst at the Nomura Institute of Capital Markets Research in Singapore. Self-employed Thais are believed to be snapping up mutual funds as they accumulate wealth. Around 30% of the country’s workforce is self-employed, according to the National Statistical Office. While most are farmers, an increasing number are involved in the manufacturing and service sectors.
