Land and Houses Fund Management (LH Fund) aims to grow its assets under management (AUM) by 40% this year, with a focus on offering new equity investment funds emphasising emerging markets.
"We want to use mutual funds as well as property funds and real estate investment trusts, with the two groups expected to contribute 47% and 41% of the total AUM, respectively," said president Chantana Kanchanagama.
The company plans to launch 10 equity funds this year to increase its asset size, she said.
Year-end AUM is expected to reach 84.4 billion baht in 2018.
At the end of 2017, total AUM stood at 59.8 billion baht, down by 11 billion from 70.1 billion in 2016, on the back of a series of bills of exchange (B/E) defaults.
This led the company's mutual fund business to shrink to 34% of total AUM in 2017, down from 53% logged in the previous year.
But the B/E issuers the firm had invested in have not defaulted, said Mrs Chantana.
Managing director Monrat Phadungsit said the new equity funds have set their eyes overseas, where growth potential is strong over the next 3-5 years and dividend payments are more consistent.
"Issuing stocks in the domestic market is no longer a solution in meeting customer demand," said Mr Monrat, adding that the growth outlook for the global economy and stock markets remain commensurate despite a recent market correction.
"In 2018, our fund-issuing policy is focused on boosting the ratio of equity funds to 30%, up from 20% last year, and increasing mixed funds to 19% from 13%," he said.
"The main reason behind this emphasis is a desire to diversify investment risks to offshore markets, while capitalising on growth that is 3-4% higher than the domestic bourse."
For Thailand, investors have been warned to pick wisely, as sporadic market corrections are expected to occur throughout the year, said Mr Monrat.
"Foreign exchange remains volatile because developed economies will embark on reducing their monetary stimulus programmes, while the US Federal Reserve could jack up interest rates three times this year," he said.