Customers can trade stocks and invest in the mutual funds of 14 companies through the company's website. They can also trade futures through its marketing officers, all through a single account.

Phillip Securities has plans to offer online futures trading once the service is available through the Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX), Suchai said.

TFEX is to launch online futures trading early next month. The TFEX began operating in May 2004.

"Starting in 1998, we were the first brokerage in Thailand to provide online stock trading, and we are the only one to offer online mutual fund trading. We are also ready to offer online futures trading. With a single account, our customer can trade stocks both online and the traditional way, and they can make mutual funds and futures transactions. Clients of other brokers must have two separate accounts for traditional and online trading," he said.

Suchai said the company is the fourth largest futures broker in terms of trading volume, with a market share of 10 per cent.

"Although we have already hit our target of grabbing a 10-per-cent share of the futures trading market this year, we will not revise our target upward. Still, it would be good if we could get 15 per cent. That would bring us one step closer to the first and the second biggest futures brokers," he said. Phillip Securities has 250 futures customers. The company expects to double that number by the end of the year.

Executive director and deputy managing director Prachaya Kulvanichpisit said online trading of both stocks and mutual funds contributes 10-20 per cent of the company's revenue.

"Even though 90 per cent of online trading comes from stocks, futures will help boost the company's online trading income," he said.

About half the company's futures accounts are active, he said. The company considers an account that trades at least once a month to be active.

Oranan Paweewun

The Nation