The Government Pension Fund is interested in buying hotels and department stores due to their attractive prices, said Yingyong Nilasena, deputy secretary general of the fund, yesterday.
"We have not closed our?selves to new investment opportunities in real estate, in particular hotels and department stores," Yingyong said.
He said that the GPF, the country's largest pension fund, is proposed by many business persons who want to sell their hotels and department stores.
He explained that prices are quite attractive following the political turmoil in April and May, which is affecting tourism and retail trade.
If the fund decides to buy hotels, it will hire professionals to manage them and there are many hotelchain operators in the market, he said.
The fund yesterday also launched new investment products for its members to choose from.
Sopawadee Lertmanaschai, secretary general of the GPF, said that about 20 per cent of its 1.16 million members had previously informed the fund that they intended to choose new investment portfolios that meet their needs.
The fund is adding three new investment portfolios to the existing one, with at least 60 per cent of investments in sound assets, largely government bonds.
The GPF now offers four types of investment portfolios, collectively called "My choice … My chance," Sopawadee said. She added that most members are expected not to choose new ones.
After the main portfolio, the second offers mixed investments, in bonds, real estate and stocks, but will invest more in stocks than the existing one.
The third will invest largely in debt instruments, both short and long term, and risk is likely to be lower than in the main one but return is expected to be higher than the inflation rate.
The last one will invest more in the money market, largely debts with maturity of less than one year. The portfolio will be cautious about securing the principal amount, but return may be less than the inflation rate. Those who will retire in the next few years may like this investment, she said.
Members can choose twice a year which portfolio they want to invest in. If no decision is made, fund managers will invest their money in the main portfolio.