7. Securities Law and Regulations
7.1 Latest Amendment to the Securities and Exchange
Act
In 2008, the Securities and Exchange Act B.E. 2535 (1992) (as
amended) (the “SEC Act”) was amended and supplemented by the
SEC Act (No. 4) B.E. 2551 (2008) (the “New SEC Act”), which came
into force on 31 August 2008, with the aim to efficiently apply the
former SEC Act to the highly dynamic market practices of Thailand’s
capital markets and to provide more flexible regulations. The New
SEC Act restructures the regulatory framework of the SEC, increasing
adaptability in the enforcement of regulations regarding ongoing
capital market transactions. The New SEC Act also provides increased
investor protection and enhances corporate governance requirements
for listed companies. In addition, the New SEC Act has also
established new mechanisms to support the efficient enforcement of
capital market regulations; for example, whistle blower protection,
and a safe-harbor for directors’ liabilities, etc.
7.2 Regulatory Bodies
7.2.1 The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
The SEC Act established the SEC to oversee and regulate all aspects
of securities related businesses and transactions in Thailand, including
securitization, derivatives and trust for transactions in capital markets.
The SEC is also responsible for promoting, developing, and
supervising securities, securities businesses, the Stock Exchange of
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Thailand (the “SET”), over-the-counter centers, the issuance and offer
of securities for sale to the public, the acquisition of securities for
business takeovers, and the prevention of unfair securities trading
practices. The SEC has the authority to issue rules, regulations, and
notifications mainly at the policy level. Pursuant to the 2010- 2012
Strategic Plan announced by the SEC, the SEC intends to focus on
four major goals: to maintain an orderly market, to provide protections
for investors, to foster an innovative capital market and to promote
competition.
7.2.2 The Capital Market Supervisory Board (the “CMSB”)
The CMSB was established by virtue of the New SEC Act, and has
the authority to issue rules, regulations, notifications, orders, and
directions at the operational level, in order to govern securities related
businesses, the issuance and offering of securities, the securities
exchange, the securities settlement systems, the securities business
associations, and takeover transactions. The CMSB is directly
responsible to the SEC.
7.2.3 The Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Office of the SEC”)
The Office of the SEC is responsible for implementing the SEC’s
resolutions and has the power and duty to perform any other acts as
prescribed in the SEC Act, which include, among others, granting
approval for the offer of securities for sale to the public and granting
waivers on tender offer obligations. In addition, the Office of the SEC
also has the power to supervise the enforcement of law, particularly,
with regard to persons violating the provisions of the SEC Act.
For further information about the SEC, CMSB and the Office of the
SEC, please visit their website at: http://www.sec.or.th.
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7.3 Securities Offerings
7.3.1 Private Placement
Private placement is an offer for sale which falls within one of the
following criteria:
(1) an offer for sale of newly-issued shares to not more than 50
investors during any consecutive 12-month period;
(2) an offer for sale of newly-issued shares, with an aggregate
value not exceeding 20 million baht, during any consecutive
12-month period; provided that the aggregate value of the
offering shall be calculated based on the offering price of the
shares; or
(3) an offer for sale of newly-issued shares made to qualified
institutional investors (e.g. commercial banks, mutual funds,
international financial institutions, etc.).
(4) an offer of sale is made by a juristic person, established by a
specific law, to its shareholders in proportion to their
shareholdings and the issuing company receives full payment
from its shareholders.
For the purpose of determination of a private placement offering, the
number of investors as referred to in paragraph (1), or the aggregate
value of the offer as referred to in (2), shall not include any offer made
to institutional investors as mentioned in (3), regardless of whether the
offer is made simultaneously or at a different time.
Basically, a public limited company or its promoters, who wishes to
offer securities for sale based on a private placement offering, will be
deemed to have obtained approval from the Office of the SEC with
regard to such offering. In addition, such offering will also be
exempted from the securities filing requirements (that is, filing a
registration statement and draft prospectus). However, the issuing
company will still be required to report the result of the sale of shares
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to the Office of the SEC within the time prescribed by notifications of
the CMSB. In addition, the private placement offering is required to
comply with a number of conditions prescribed in the relevant
notifications of the CMSB and the Office of the SEC. For instance, the
offer for the sale of newly-issued shares must not be advertised to the
public. The issuing company shall complete its offer for sale of shares
within one year from the date on which the shareholders’ meeting
resolves to approve an offer for sale of newly issued shares. Please
note that the offering of debt instruments or debentures is subject to
separate private placement exemptions and conditions.
7.3.2 Initial Public Offering/ Public Offering
Any public limited companies, juristic persons established under the
laws of foreign jurisdictions and other juristic persons as prescribed by
the SEC Act (the “Issuing Companies”), who wish to offer securities
for sale to the public, are generally required to obtain prior approval
from the Office of the SEC. Public limited companies are required to
file a registration statement and a draft prospectus with the Office of
the SEC and have them become effective. Additionally, the Issuing
Company is required to complete certain prerequisite obligations in
connection with securities offering in Thailand before proceeding with
the offer and sale of securities to the public.
In relation to the post-offering obligations, the Issuing Companies
must report the results of the sale of securities, submit quarterly and
annual financial statements and other relevant reports to the Office of
the SEC and/or the SET, and must also inform the Office of the SEC
and/or SET immediately of any major events, such as a change of
management, takeover, or substantial damage that may have
repercussions on the Issuing Companies. Directors, managers, auditors
and other management personnel (as stipulated by the SEC Act) of the
Issuing Companies are obliged to make full disclosure of their
shareholding status as well.
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7.4 Takeover Regulations
7.4.1 Requirements in relation to Reporting Obligations
The SEC Act imposes certain reporting obligations on any person who
performs any acts, either by his/her own actions or by “acting in
concert with others," and thereby increases or decreases the number of
securities (particularly, shares or convertible securities) in a listed
company that are held by such person and his/her “related persons," as
well as other persons acting in concert, up to or through the specified
trigger points (such as, any multiple of five percent (5%) of the total
voting rights in such listed company).
In addition, there have been amendments to the notifications of the
CMSB promulgated under the SEC Act in 2011. These amendments
resulted in developments and changes with regard to reporting the
acquisition or disposition of securities. Pursuant to the new
notification, any person of a listed company, by his/her own act or
his/her acting in concert with others, who acquires or disposes of
securities, reaches the “trigger point,” defined above, is required to
submit a report of the securities holding by using an official form
prescribed by the Office of the SEC. The report must be made to the
Office of the SEC within three (3) business days from the date of the
acquisition or disposition of securities. A copy of the report must also
be submitted to the SET. Please note that in considering the
acquisition or disposal of securities under the new notification, the
number of the securities of a listed company held by an acquirer or
disposer, other persons acting in concert, and their related persons
shall be aggregated.
In this regard, the following are considered to be the ‘related persons’
of each acquirer or disposer:
(i) the spouse of the acquirer or disposer and a minor child of the
acquirer or disposer;
(ii) a natural person who is a shareholder of the acquirer or
disposer, in an amount exceeding 30% of the total voting
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rights of such person, inclusive of the voting rights of the
spouse and minor children of such shareholder;
(iii) a juristic person who is a shareholder of the acquirer or
disposer, in an amount exceeding 30% of the total voting
rights of such person;
(iv) a shareholder in the juristic person under (iii) and the
shareholders in all levels of upward shareholding, beginning
from the shareholder in the juristic person under (iii),
provided that the shareholding in each level exceeds 30% of
the total voting rights of the juristic person in the immediate
lower level. In cases where the shareholder in any level is a
natural person, the voting rights of such shareholder’s spouse
and minor child must be included;
(v) a juristic person in which the acquirer or disposer or the
persons under (i), (ii) or (iii) collectively hold shares in an
amount exceeding 30% of the total voting rights of such
juristic person;