KEY POINTS
- The project integrates financial literacy with Executive Functions (EF) brain skills development for early childhood to primary school children, cultivating sound financial discipline and habits from a young age.
- The initiative is expanding to school nationwide and faculties of education at over 10 universities to develop a new generation of teachers equipped to teach financial literacy, preparing Thai youth to grow with quality life skills
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Foundation, in collaboration with the Rakluke Learning Group (RLG), has launched the "EF Children, Think Smart, Money Smart" project, integrating Executive Functions (EF) brain skill development with financial literacy to cultivate financial discipline in early childhood and primary school children, empowering Thai youth to grow with quality life skills.
SET Foundation Director and Secretary – Asadej Kongsiri said that as Thailand enters a complete aged society alongside a continuous decline in birth rates, preparing Thai youth to grow into quality citizens has become more urgent than ever. The project has developed innovative learning media and knowledge resources for practical use in both family and school settings, comprising five picture storybooks for early childhood, five storybooks for primary school students, and a financial literacy board game. These tools are designed to help children understand the value of money, cultivate saving habits, make prudent decisions between needs and wants, and learn the value of sharing, building the foundation skills for both mental resilience and financial security, and developing quality human resources ready to drive the country forward.
RLG Institute President – Subhawadee Harnmethee said the project’s storybooks, board games, and EF skill-building processes are grounded in brain science. Instilling EF brain skills from early childhood (ages 3–6) and continuing to train them as children grow lays a foundation for self-regulation in daily life. As they develop, self-regulated children increasingly understand and manage their financial lives -- learning to plan, avoid over-indebtedness, build immunity against financial scams, and eventually invest with purpose. Strong EF skills are therefore a crucial prerequisite for financial literacy to deliver real results.
Preschool Education Association of Thailand President and Plearnpattana School Director – Thida Pitaksinsuk said that finance is not too difficult a subject for children when communicated through relatable storybooks and hands-on activities. Collectively instilling these habits from early childhood and carrying them forward across every stage of life will serve as a vital driving force — one that takes deep root and builds lasting financial stability in the future
Chiang Rai Provincial Education Office Director of the Supervisory, Monitoring and Evaluation Group – Weerat Sanumitr said Chiang Rai’s strong EF foundation has enabled teachers to apply financial literacy media through active learning, meeting Ministry of Education curriculum indicators. Students, teachers, and parents alike have shown measurable improvement in financial literacy.
Naresuan University Director of the Investment Learning Center, Faculty of Business Administration, Economics and Communications – Kittipat Santaveesuk said the core financial problem for most Thais is the absence of early training in deliberate decision-making. Research consistently shows that early childhood is the optimal window for EF development. Three EF skills are particularly relevant to financial behavior: inhibitory control – resisting impulse spending and choosing need over want; working memory – setting and maintaining financial goals; and cognitive flexibility – adapting financial plans to changing life circumstances.
The "EF Children, Think Smart, Money Smart" project builds on a collaboration that began in 2020 across two pilot districts of Chiang Rai, expanding to all 18 districts by 2024 and extending to Nan and Lampang provinces. In 2025, the project integrated financial literacy with EF skills across 20 schools and is now preparing to expand to early childhood and primary schools nationwide focused on financial literacy development, as well as to faculties of education at over 10 universities to develop a new generation of teachers equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to teach financial literacy effectively. The project also welcomes partnerships with network organizations to extend its reach nationwide. For more details, visit www.setfoundation.or.th.
