Thailand plans to raise infrastructure fund worth USD 1.5 bln

The fund due this year, expected to have assets of about THB 45 billion, is likely to attract strong demand from the public given it offers potential annual returns of about 5 percent. The Future Fund was due for an initial public offering by March last year under an earlier timeline.

The project is one element of the Thai military government’s infrastructure agenda to bolster economic expansion. The pace of project implementation is a key challenge. The fund planned for next year will also finance highway construction. Thailand’s 19-member SET Construction Services Index had declined about 29% over the past year, despite the government’s focus on infrastructure, in a sign that investors are awaiting an uptick in implementation.