Fair to give investment tips to wealthy

Many financial institutions will be on hand to provide smart investment plans as well as many financial products with special promotions, including 45.5 per cent a year of deposit return, PTT cash card, LCD TVs and travel packages to London.

On Saturday, The Nation's columnist Chatrapee Tantisalerm, CEO of Ayudhya Fund Management, will discuss the Deposit Protection Agency Act.

Sunday features Kate Hathirat, head of fixed income in Thailand at Aberdeen Asset Management and another Nation columnist, talking on the "Opportunity to Invest Abroad via FIF".

Chatchai Payuhanaveechai, first senior vice president of Kasikornbank, said his financial group would advise customers of the most efficient way to invest. The bank would give away 0.25percent interest coupons, which could be used for topping up the normal deposit rate, to visitors to its booth.

The bank is also selling to the first 200 customers a 12month bill of exchange (B/E) with step interest rates going up to 5.5 per cent. The minimum purchase is Bt500,000.

"If you check your financial health with KWePlan, you will get a checkup package from cooperat¬ing hospitals. And if you invest in a retirement mutual fund or longterm equity fund and life insurance policy with a minimum Bt80,000 premium and minimum total investment of Bt800,000, you will get a Bt10,000 PTT cash card," Chatchai said.

"Every investor in Kasikornbank Group who is approved at the expo will be driven back home in an Eclass MercedesBenz."

Saksit Pitipongsoonthorn, senior vice president of marketing services at Standard Chartered Bank (Thai), said the bank would focus on providing information for smart investment.

It has also prepared some products such as Marathon Savings offering step interest rates up to 4 per cent and prizes offered only at the fair such as a 32inch LCD TV, home theatre, DVD player and iPod Shuffle.

Bordin Unakul, executive vice president of Bangkok Bank, said most people focused on wealth cre¬ation but not much on wealth reser¬vation, so the bank as a financial adviser would help investors find what they needed.

The bank will also bring a variety of products - savings, insurance and mutual funds - with lots of premiums such as blankets, microwave oven, DVD player and 20inch and 32inch LCD TVs.

While ING Funds and One Asset Management also joins the fair, Jumpon Saimala, senior executive vice president of mutual fund and investment consulting for ING Funds, said some investors did not know their own risk profile but only sought a lowrisk investment with a high return, which did not exist. They would learn more at the fair about their acceptable risk and suitable return.

Sutee Mokkhavesa, an adviser to the president of Muang Thai Life Assurance, said the company offered investors a singlepremium life insurance policy with a fixed longterm return.

"Customers pay a Bt900,000 single premium and get Bt1,000,000 as an insured sum and they will get 3 per cent per year of return for nine years. The last year they will get an additional Bt1 million," he said.

Profitable Group, which invests in land and real estate in London, England, has prepared several incentives for fairgoers, besides boasting of a return on its investment in the last 25 years of 1,853 per cent. Its customers will receive a travel package for two people to London.

The first four investors who invest more than Bt500,000 at the fair will receive a threeday, twonight tour package for two from Veranda Chiang Mai, the High Resort, worth Bt25,000.

Organisers expect more than Bt600 million of investment transactions at the fair.