The companies offered a dividend yield averaging 4.4 per cent, a 10-per-cent year-on-year increase from 4 per cent for 2005's earnings, the SET said in a statement released yesterday.

The 462 firms exclude companies listed as non-compliant and those in the non-performing group.

Earlier, the SET announced that 489 companies listed on the SET posted overall net profits of Bt476.37 billion for last year, sliding 12 per cent from 2005, when 388 firms recorded net profits.

The technology, industrial, property and construction, consumer products and resources sectors provided the largest dividend yields, in that order.

The technology sector offered dividend yields averaging 8.18 per cent, led by information- and communications-technology firms at an average 8.21 per cent and electronic-component companies at 7.99 per cent.

The industrial sector's dividend yields for last year averaged 5.81 per cent. Industrial-materials and machinery firms offered the biggest yield among their subsector peers with an average 10.23 per cent, followed by packaging companies at 6.31 per cent.

The property and construction sector gave an average dividend yield of 5.01 per cent. Construction firms provided the highest average, with 5.84 per cent, while property developers paid dividends averaging 3.55 per cent.

In terms of total amount paid in dividends, the resources sector will pay the most for last year's performance, followed by the property and construction, technology, financial and service sectors.

The resources sector will pay dividends totalling Bt62.54 billion.

Thailand's largest oil and gas firm, PTT, will pay an annual dividend of 10.5 per cent, or Bt29.41 billion in total.

The property and construction sector will pay combined annual dividends amounting to Bt31.93 billion. Siam Cement will make the highest payment in the sector, Bt18 billion.

The technology sector will pay annual dividends totalling Bt31.24 billion, with Advanced Info Service making the highest payment, Bt18.61 billion.

In fourth place, the financial sector will pay  out combined dividends of Bt18.86 billion. With Kasikornbank leading the way with a pay-out of Bt4.17 billion.