SET to hit road in Japan

The SET will join the mission to Japan led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on February 9 to restore foreign investor confi¬dence, SET president Patareeya Benjapholchai said yesterday.

The bourse will conduct road¬shows to Singapore and Hong Kong in March and possibly Europe and the US later.

The SET will not seek to extend the taxbreak scheme for newly listed firms, which expires this year, as it wants to push companies already approved for breaks to com¬plete initial public offerings.

Under the tax privileges, com¬panies applying to list on the SET or the Market for Alternative Investment before the end of this year will be enti¬tled to pay corporate income tax at 25 per cent or 20 per cent, respectively, instead of the regular 30percent rate.

Chanitr Charnchainarong, head of the SET's issuer and listing group, said 30 compa¬nies are waiting to list on the SET, of which 28 filed last year in order to qualify for the tax promotion. Fourteen have been approved.