On June 15, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) announced the launch of a new index designed to let investors tap the tremendous economic growth potential of its neighbouring frontier markets of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV). The region averaged 6.9% gross domestic product growth between 2012 and 2017, compared with a limp 3.5% in Thailand.
During the same period, Thai companies invested $72.3bn abroad, peaking at $21.4bn in 2017, according to Bank of Thailand figures on Thai direct investments overseas. A good proportion of those investments ended up in their fast-growing neighbours.
