The Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF) is preparing to launch a 1-billion-baht private equity (PE) trust to support Thailand's "new economy" businesses and help build a pipeline for future listed companies, says fund manager Chakchai Boonyawat.The project is awaiting board approval, which is expected this year. Following approval, the CMDF plans to appoint an external trust manager within 3-4 months before the fund begins operations. He said the PE trust will focus on growth-stage companies with established business models but limited access to capital for expansion. Target sectors include medical and healthcare, food and food technology, biotechnology, and tourism technology.
"The goal is to help these businesses scale up and eventually access larger funding channels, including initial public offerings [IPOs], venture capital, and corporate venture capital networks," said Mr Chakchai.
The CMDF will act as the anchor investor while inviting participation from public and private sector partners, with total fundraising targeted at around 1 billion baht, he said.
The fund is expected to be managed by an independent third-party trust manager specialising in PE and new economy investments. Selection criteria includes expertise in scaling businesses and delivering successful exits through IPOs or strategic acquisitions, said Mr Chakchai.
