Govt plans B100bn SET-traded infrastructure fund

Govt plans B100bn SET-traded infrastructure fund

A worker walks into an underground tunnel at the construction site for a mass-transit route under the Chao Phraya River on Wednesday. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)
A worker walks into an underground tunnel at the construction site for a mass-transit route under the Chao Phraya River on Wednesday. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

The Finance Ministry will propose a 100-billion-baht “Thailand Future Fund” to mobilise capital for infrastructure projects next year.

Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong said the fund's investment instruments would be sold to both local and foreign investors, as well as institutional buyers, such as the Government Pension Fund.

The government will guarantee a minimum return on investment.

He said a new law is needed to establish the fund, but hopes it will be traded on the Stock Exchange of Thailand by the end of this year.

Mr Apisak said the government has anointed 2016 the "year for investment" to stimulate the economy. Money raised through the fund would be spent on infrastructure projects.

The government last week put five infrastructure projects worth a combined 334 billion baht on the front burner under its fast-track public-private partnership scheme.

A mandate was issued that the public works get off the ground in the second half of 2016.

The projects include three mass-transit development routes in Bangkok with a combined 194-billion-baht price tag, and two intercity highways costing 140 billion.

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