Europeans emerged as the largest foreign investors in the Thai stock market as of April 30, led by the British, says the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).
In a research note, the SET said Britons' combined holdings amounted to 2.44 trillion baht, representing 19% of market capitalisation and 52% of foreigners' holdings.
European investors' holdings surged 36% between the end of last year and April 30.
British investors accounted for 74% of all European investors' holdings.
The holdings of all Europeans were worth 1.79 trillion baht or 38.8% of those of foreigners.
Singaporean investors were second, controlling 22.1% of foreign holdings, followed by Americans at 12.8%, Dutch at 4.26% and Hong Kong residents at 4.05%.
Asian investors held a combined 1.43 trillion baht worth of Thai shares including 1.1 trillion baht or almost 77% owned by foreign Asean investors.
As of April 30, Singaporeans accounted for 93.9% of the shares held by investors from the other nine Asean members, Malaysians 5.91%, Indonesians 0.12% and Filipinos 0.08%.
In terms of numbers, only 1,600 foreign Asean investors held Thai shares, considered a small amount, said the research note.
Foreign shares remained the most popular securities instruments for investment in the Thai stock market, worth a combined 3.68 trillion baht or 79% of foreigners' holdings.
They held non-voting depository receipts (NVDRs) at 21%, while local shares made up the rest.
However, their holdings in foreign shares fell from 82% on April 30, 2012, while their investment in NVDRs rose from 18%.
Foreign investors who own foreign shares in the Thai bourse are allowed to cast votes on company issues and receive financial benefits such as dividends, rights issues and capital gains.
Those holding NVDRs are eligible for all financial benefits but do not have company voting rights, while those holding local shares are entitled only to certain financial benefits.
In the first nine months of this year, foreign investors pulled 106 billion baht out of the Thai bourse.
Fund repatriation stemmed from investor concerns over the US Federal Reserve's expected retreat in its asset purchasing scheme following a series of upbeat economic announcements from that country.