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The Market for Alternative Investment (mai), under The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) group, will celebrate its 15th anniversary on June 21, after continuously building strengths and opportunities for small- and medium-cap companies having raised funds via mai worth a total THB 57.5 billion (approx. USD 1.77 billion). The bourse has so far attracted 115 Thai companies. Today’s mai market capitalization worth THB 229.5 billion (USD 7.06 billion).
During the past 15 years, there have been THB 21.44 billion raised via initial public offerings (IPOs) and THB 21.28 via recapitalization. It was significant that there were 15 mai-listed companies that had grown steadily before moving to list on the main board (SET). mai-listed companies have resorted to varieties of alternative investment tools for 182 times with the most popular tool being derivatives warrant and dividend payment.
Prapan Charoenprawatt, mai president, said “mai has been committed to boosting listed companies’ quality to comply with good corporate governance, and social and environmental responsibilities. We have aimed to attract 100 more companies to be listed on mai over the next five years and planned to launch industry group of mai-listed companies, to be categorized into eight groups, effective on January 2015.”
To celebrate the 15th anniversary, mai has joined hands with mai listed companies association (maiA) to hold “mai Forum 2014”, a big event to highlight mai’s role as an alternative fund-raising source for entrepreneurs as well as alternative investment choices for investors. It will be an opportune venue for mai-listed companies to introduce businesses to investors, analysts, and trigger inspiration among small- and medium-sized companies to list on mai. The event will be held on July 1, 2014 at Queen Sirikit Convention Center.
mai officially commenced operations on June 21, 1999, starting up with three listed companies, raising funds worth THB 131 million. Currently, it listed 97 companies with a combined market capitalization of THB 229 billion, compared with the THB 430 million market value on the first year of operation. On June 18, 2014, mai index was at 498.52 points, a 39 percent rise from the end of 2013, with daily average trading value of THB 1.19 billion.
