Settrade.Com Company Managing Director, Dr. Wittaya Watcharawityakul, announced that part of the company's business plan for 2003 involves increasing the efficiency of its hardware and software to ensure quality in the company's securities trading service through the Internet. Moreover, investors can access stock market information and make transactions online more conveniently. He sees that there is still a great deal of room for growth in Internet securities trading.
"To introduce new services to customers, Settrade will launch a new program to be used for Internet securities trading called 'Day Trade Lite,' which would provide greater convenience for investors in accessing share prices and making transactions speedily and at any time. Internet investors will be able to call up information and make transactions without a glitch. Customers of the fifteen brokers in the Settrade system will start using this new program from February 18 onwards," Dr. Wittaya said.
Moreover, Settrade has joined with TelecomAsia Corporation Plc to introduce "Asia Info Net", a leading Internet provider using the Metronet network, to enhance the efficiency of the back-up link, which will ensure that transactions through the Internet by Settrade will not experience any disruptions.
Dr. Wittaya said, "Settrade will develop a new program for traditional investors, the 'Pro' program, which will resemble user interface of the terminal a trade room. Investors accustomed to the trade room system of brokerages will receive greater convenience from this new program.
At the same time, Settrade is developing a Stock Simulation program to support the needs of new investors who may want to practice the process of making transactions on the stock market before actually doing so. This would help expand the investor base of the stock market, and should be launched around July 2003."
Settrade has improved its information distribution system for stock information to make it more up-to-date and complete. Its latest endeavor involves cooperation with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) to develop the "SET Smart" and "SET Smart Lite" programs, that make it more convenient to call up various securities companies' share analysis. Information in these programs can then be sent in an Export File form to an Excel format, to be used for further analysis.
Settrade.Com's Managing Director went on to say: "Settrade has also collaborating with the cellular phone providers GSM and DTAC to launch a share price information service through cellular phones for the new generation of investors. The "On-Demand M-Stock" service through GSM Advance has already been launched while a similar service with DTAC will be introduced soon."
Settrade has also added Internet transaction payments through two more banks, namely Thai Farmers Bank and Bank of Ayudhaya. While investors can still make their transaction payments at Siam Commercial Bank, Bank of Asia, and Krung Thai Bank, they will now be able to make their transaction payments through the Internet Banking system of any of these five banks."
Apart from these campaigns, Settrade will take over the marketing plans for the sale of information for the SET, develop the websites of the SET and its subsidiaries, as well as develop its own website www.settrade.com so it becomes a free service for retail investors to access information.
In addition, the company will join with the SET and related organizations, such as the Securities Analysts Association, the Securities Company Association, the IT Club, the Listed Companies Association, Internet providers, and commercial banks, to develop the securities industry and hold activities to expand the investors' base. These activities include holding free training courses for Internet trading, introducing Internet trading to regional investors through the SET's roadshow in the provinces, publishing documents to educate the public, and distribute share price information through ITV, UBC 7, and UBC 8 TV stations.