KEY POINTS
- SET launched the Certified Thai Director Program (CTD), developed under the Thai Director Standard (TDS), to strengthen directors’ core knowledge. The program also aims to expand director capability development on a wider scale through a network of SET-accredited training institutions.
- The CTD Program was launched at the “Professional Board Forum 2026: Elevating Directors to Professional Standards,” with the first training class expected to begin by the end of 2026.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has developed the Certified Thai Director Program (CTD) under the Thai Director Standard (TDS), with the support of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The standard covers six essential knowledge areas for Thai directors. The first CTD class is expected to begin by the end of 2026. The standard and the program mark another milestone in elevating Thai directors to professional standards, driving transparent business growth in line with good corporate governance principles, and building confidence among shareholders, investors and the Thai capital market as a whole.
SET launched the CTD Program, developed under the TDS, at the “Professional Board Forum 2026: Elevating Directors to Professional Standards” on September 29, 2026, attended by more than 300 directors of listed companies. The event brought together senior executives and experts from SET, the SEC, and leading organizations to share their visions and exchange views on what it means to be a professional board, the roles the capital market expects directors to play, and approaches to developing the capabilities of Thai directors amid a rapidly changing business environment.
SET Chairperson Professor Kitipong Urapeepatanapong described directors as "thought leaders" who shape an organization's long-term direction and serve as its brain. Performing as a professional board is underpinned by three key foundations: an open, forward-looking Mindset; the Knowledge required to fulfill directors' duties in line with established standards; and Ethics grounded in a steadfast commitment to doing what is right. These can also be summed up as the "3 Looks": looking far ahead, looking clearly and looking rightly. Together, these foundations enable directors to develop their skills and carry out their duties professionally, bring genuine Corporate Governance (CG) in Substance to life within organizations and earn the long-term trust of shareholders and stakeholders.
SEC Secretary-General Professor Dr. Pornanong Budsaratragoon said that a professional board today is not one that knows everything. Rather, it is one that knows the right questions to ask, understands which matters deserve its attention, recognizes when to seek further knowledge, and has the courage to exercise sound judgment in doing what is right for the long-term interests of the company and its shareholders.
SET President Asadej Kongsiri said that one of the key foundations of trust is strong corporate governance, which begins with directors who have the knowledge and understanding to perform their duties professionally, and with clearly defined capital market expectations of directors' roles and responsibilities. SET therefore developed the CTD Program to address these needs. At the same time, SET has established a working group to define knowledge standards, the curriculum structure, the qualifications of training institutions and the learning process to ensure sustainable quality, reflecting SET’s conviction that trust is the capital market's most valuable asset, a principle at the heart of its vision, "The Trusted Gateway to Inclusive Opportunities."
The TDS covers six foundational knowledge areas: board roles and responsibilities, relevant laws, accounting and finance, strategic risk, sustainability, and reporting and disclosure. The CTD Program fully covers the TDS content and follows a blended learning model, beginning with a six-hour e-learning course developed by SET, followed by a three-day workshop at a SET-accredited training institution, where participants apply their knowledge through hands-on exercises and case studies. Three institutions have so far expressed interest in offering the CTD Program: Foundation for Public Policy and Good Governance, the Thailand Management Association (TMA) and SET SE Co., Ltd. The first CTD class is expected to begin by the end of 2026.
For more information about the CTD Program or other director development activities, please visit www.set.or.th/ctd or contact patomchait@set.or.th | Tel. +66 2 009 9874 or sukij@set.or.th | Tel. +66 2 009 9876.
