You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

//
//
Capital Markets

Capital Markets

Key Contacts

Cambodia

Laos

Myanmar

Thailand

Vietnam

OVERVIEW

Our attorneys advise on the full spectrum of debt and equity instruments across Southeast Asia.

We represent global and regional corporations and funds looking to issue equity instruments and debt securities, and we advise underwriters and issuers on crucial matters of disclosure when they prepare to offer securities to the public or to private investors. Our specialists advise on all types of financial instruments (including loans, securities, mutual funds, property funds, bonds, and derivatives), financial workouts and restructuring, and investment in regional assets and capital markets.

We have advised on the listing and secondary listing of hundreds of companies on markets around the world, and are well-equipped to quickly and confidently advise on navigating the regulatory requirements needed to advance your interests in Southeast Asia and beyond. Our extensive experience guiding clients through capital market regulatory frameworks in Southeast Asia and beyond has enabled clients to achieve the cash flow to support their investment goals. Issuers, underwriters, shareholders, originators, trustees, and depositaries all rely on Tilleke & Gibbins to ensure that investments with a Southeast Asian element are sound and secure.

Experience

  • Facilitated client growth and increased capital for business operations by converting the client’s business from a private to a public company and listing its securities on the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI) stock exchange.
  • Represented a major Thai manufacturer in the IPO process, including preparation, conversion to public company, SEC filing, and SET listing. Several years after the IPO, the company has greatly prospered such that the owner has become one of the ten richest persons in Thailand.
  • Assisted one of China’s largest logistics companies with assets of over CNY 96.74 billion (about USD 15.3 billion), in the client’s planned IPO in a major Chinese stock exchange. To prepare for the IPO, we assisted the client in ensuring regulatory compliance by the client’s three subsidiaries in Thailand by conducting full legal due diligence on each subsidiary and issuing legal opinions for the client to submit to the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
  • Conducted and organized legal due diligence for a Thai food manufacturer on its Thailand operations and subsidiaries in Thailand and four other countries around Asia, in advance of its IPO and listing on the SET.
  • Advised a European company that launched its IPO on the NASDAQ and offered a portion of its IPO stocks to its employees around the world, including in Thailand, amounting to a value of over USD 300,000. Specifically, we advised on Thai securities law applicable to the employee stock option plan and arranged for filing reports with the SEC.
  • Advised and assisted a major Thai chicken farm in the amalgamation of the client’s company and three other companies in the same group in advance of the amalgamated company’s planned IPO and listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). 
  • Advising on the first ever dual listing of a Cambodian company on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
  • Advised the Thai subsidiary of a Japanese microfinance lender on laws and regulations related to conducting a microfinance business in Thailand, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand and the Stock Exchange of Thailand requirements for listing of a company.
  • Secured a license for our client to operate as a dealer of derivatives and related securities with the Thai SEC and obtained other necessary licenses and permits for our client to operate in Thailand.

PROFESSIONALS

RELATED INSIGHTS

July 8, 2026
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has issued new oversight and disclosure rules, effective July 1, 2026, overhauling the previous requirements. The reforms apply to listed companies, REITs, and property and infrastructure funds, and aim to enhance transparency, align with international standards, and ensure timely investor information. The key changes and practical implications are highlighted below. Major Shareholder Reporting When a shareholding change reaching or crossing 5% or any subsequent multiple of 5% is reported under section 246 of the Securities and Exchange Act or a tender offer is completed (except for voluntary delisting), listed companies must disclose an updated shareholder list for the month in which the triggering event occurred. The list must be compiled within five business days after month-end and disclosed within 14 days thereafter. Noncompliance will trigger a “notice pending” (NP) sign. This replaces the previous requirement to disclose shareholder lists only at annual general meetings or on record dates. Companies should coordinate with their share registrars to meet the new event-driven timelines. New Financial and Internal Control Disclosures The new rules require disclosure of material impairment, expected credit losses, and unreturned business deposits when these reach specified thresholds. Companies must also disclose events or indicators that may materially affect their internal control systems. Boards and audit committees should expect to escalate accounting and internal-control issues earlier, as these matters may now trigger standalone SET disclosure obligations—not just financial statement treatment. Backdoor Listing With the Securities and Exchange Commission’s regulation on material transactions (MTs) taking effect on July 1, 2026, and now serving as the primary, standalone framework governing acquisitions and disposals, the SET needed to issue a standalone rule on backdoor listing matters. These matters had been covered by a previous regulation on MTs issued by the SET. The key differences between the SET’s
June 29, 2026
Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is seeking public input on significant amendments to the Securities and Exchange Act B.E. 2535 (1992) that would address recurring market abuses and eroded investor confidence observed by the SEC. Published on June 24, 2026, the consultation document targets share-pledging disclosure failures, hidden beneficial ownership, and fraudulent transactions by listed companies, all of which are issues that have threatened share prices and market stability across the Thai capital markets. Comments on the proposals are due by July 24, 2026. Mandatory Disclosure of Short Sales and Share Pledges The draft amendments introduce new reporting obligations for both short sales and share pledges. Persons who sell listed securities without having such securities in their possession (“short sales”) must comply with rules prescribed by the Capital Market Supervisory Board, ensuring standardized practices and preventing risks from such transactions. Major shareholders who pledge or encumber their shares in significant amounts must report those arrangements to the SEC, which may then disclose the information to the public. These amendments directly respond to recent market abuses, including short selling without proper safeguards and instances where directors or major shareholders have pledged large share blocks without disclosure to investors, only to have those shares forcibly sold when collateral was called, causing dramatic share price declines and disrupting ownership structures and market stability. Reportable transactions for share pledges include the following: Shares used as margin account collateral Shares pledged as loan security, with immediate transfer upon default Shares formally pledged under the Civil and Commercial Code or registered with the Thailand Securities Depository Failure to report share pledges triggers criminal penalties, as does failure to comply with short sale requirements. By requiring advance disclosure and standardized short sale procedures, the SEC aims to enable investors to assess ownership stability and default
June 18, 2026
Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released a detailed draft notification expanding its oversight to cover the funding sources behind major shareholdings in licensed securities and digital asset business operators. Published on June 8, 2026, as Public Hearing Document No. 30/2569, the draft builds on funding-source principles introduced in an April hearing and on recently amended Ministry of Finance notifications issued in February 2026 that broadened the definition of major shareholder of licensed securities and digital asset business operators. A public comment period on the draft closes on June 23, 2026. An earlier version of the SEC’s proposal brought the issue of funding behind significant shareholdings within the SEC’s regulatory perimeter, signaling intent to look beyond shareholding to the persons and capital ultimately financing major shareholdings in licensed securities and digital asset business operators. The concern is that control may be exercised through financing arrangements rather than through equity ownership alone. The draft notification advances that initiative into a more detailed regulatory framework, as summarized below. Expanded Definition Captures Funding Sources Throughout Ownership Chains The draft regulation introduces a “material funding source” concept. A material funding source is the principal capital that enables a major shareholder to acquire its shareholding, without which the shareholding could not be obtained. Under the proposed rules, any person who provides such funding, whether directly to the major shareholder or indirectly through any tier of the ownership chain above the operator, is deemed a controller subject to SEC approval. The draft also captures any person acting as a conduit or intermediary in facilitating financial assistance to a major shareholder, deeming each of these persons to be a material funding source and aggregating it into the same control group as the ultimate funding source. The definition covers not only cash loans and equity investments,
May 25, 2026
After several years of policy discussion and continued efforts led by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) to relax the list of reserved businesses under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999) (FBA), the reform process has now reached a significant milestone. On May 12, 2026, the Thai cabinet approved in principle two draft subordinate legislative instruments aimed at delisting certain reserved business activities under the FBA and reducing licensing requirements for foreign business operators. These developments signal a renewed and concrete effort by the government to modernize Thailand’s business regulatory framework in order to attract foreign investment and boost Thailand’s competitiveness in the global market. Nine Businesses Set for FBA Delisting Below is a list of the nine businesses that are being targeted for delisting from the FBA’s restrictions. A draft ministerial regulation would delist the first eight reserved businesses, while a royal decree has been drafted to delist the ninth business: Telecommunications services (Type 1 license only, covering operators without their own telecommunications infrastructure), under the supervision of the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. Treasury center services subject to the Foreign Exchange Control Act B.E. 2485 and under the supervision of the Bank of Thailand. Securities-collateralized lending, pursuant to the laws governing securities and exchange and derivatives regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Agency, dealer, advisory, or fund management services relating to derivatives where the underlying assets fall outside the scope of the Derivatives Act B.E. 2546 (2003) Intra-group shared services, including administrative, human resources, and IT functions Intra-group domestic debt guarantee services Leasing of partial space for installation of financial service machines and automatic vending machines for employee use Petroleum drilling services Trading of agricultural product derivatives through a futures exchange, with physical delivery or receipt of agricultural products at a futures exchange–designated
AWARDS & RANKINGS
May 11, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has continued to show excellent performance in the recently released Benchmark Litigation 2026 rankings for dispute resolution firms in the Asia-Pacific region. The rankings include two jurisdictions where Tilleke & Gibbins is active: Thailand and Vietnam. Firm Rankings A full summary of the firm’s rankings is provided below: Thailand Commercial & Transactions – Tier 1 Government & Regulatory – Tier 1 Labor & Employment – Tier 1 Intellectual Property – Tier 1 Trade & Customs – Tier 2 Vietnam Commercial & Transactions (Foreign Firms) – Tier 1 Intellectual Property (Foreign Firms) – Tier 1 Labor & Employment (International Firms) – Highly Recommended (top tier awarded in this category) White Collar Crime – Recommended (top tier awarded in this category) Energy & Construction (Foreign Firms) – Tier 2 International Arbitration – Tier 2 Individual Rankings The 2026 edition also recognizes 12 Tilleke & Gibbins lawyers in Thailand—more than any other firm in the jurisdiction—and four in Vietnam. Thailand Alongkorn Tongmee – Trade & Customs Chitchai Punsan – Commercial & Transactions Chusert Supasitthumrong – Labor & Employment John Frangos – Commercial & Transactions Noppramart Thammateeradaycho – Shipping Nuttaphol Arammuang – Intellectual Property Piyawat Vitooraporn – Commercial & Transactions Pongpalin Chantrapirom – Commercial & Transactions Suebsiri Taweepon – Intellectual Property Suruswadee Jaimsuwan – Commercial & Transactions Thawat Damsa-ard – Commercial & Transactions Tiziana Sucharitkul – Commercial & Transactions, Government & Regulatory Vietnam Duc Anh Tran – Commercial & Transactions Linh Duy Mai – Intellectual Property Loc Xuan Le – Intellectual Property Tu Anh Tran – Commercial & Transactions Benchmark Litigation’s annual research is based on interviews with dispute resolution specialists and clients, as well as analysis of recent casework and market developments. To view the full results, please visit the Benchmark Litigation websites for Thailand and Vietnam.
April 16, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been recognized in the In-House Community (IHC) Firms of the Year 2025, with acknowledgments across a broad range of practice areas in Thailand and Vietnam. The results are based on feedback from in-house counsel across Asia Pacific, reflecting client perspectives on the quality and responsiveness of legal services. In Thailand, the firm received recognition in 13 categories, including 12 Firm of the Year awards and one Honorable Mention. The Firm of the Year recognitions cover: Antitrust / Competition Capital Markets Corporate & M&A Employment Energy & Projects Intellectual Property International Arbitration Litigation & Dispute Resolution Restructuring & Insolvency Taxation Technology, Media & Telecommunications Most Responsive International Law Firm – Thailand The firm also received an Honorable Mention for Real Estate & Construction. In Vietnam, Tilleke & Gibbins was recognized in seven categories. The firm received Firm of the Year awards in: Employment Intellectual Property Litigation & Dispute Resolution Technology, Media & Telecommunications Most Responsive International Law Firm – Vietnam In addition, the firm received Honorable Mentions for International Arbitration and Real Estate & Construction. The IHC Firms of the Year recognitions are based on voluntary survey responses, client feedback, testimonials, and independent research conducted by the IHC team, rather than a submission-based or benchmarking methodology. While not intended to be exhaustive, the results provide a useful snapshot of client sentiment within the in-house legal community. The full results are available on the IHC website.