Bangkok, 25 October 2016 ? The SEC is seeking public comments on the draft rules concerning transfer of retirement mutual funds (RMF) and long-term equity funds (LTF) in case of fund dissolution to allow asset management companies to use own discretion in handling such fund transfer more flexibly while maintaining tax benefits for investors of such funds on a continuing basis.

The key points of change include:
- Lifting the requirement for pre-declaration of intent by RMF / LTF unitholders regarding obligatory transfer in case of fund dissolution;
 - Allowing asset management companies to use their own discretion in choosing RMF or LTF destination funds if the transfer criteria are clearly disclosed beforehand in the fund scheme for the unitholders? information;  
 - Requiring asset management companies to disclose their procedural guidelines for informing the unitholders and related parties of their right to have their investment transferred to RMF or LTF of their choice and to receive a waiver of transfer fee in case of transfer to another fund of the same type under the same management within deadline. The waiver would not apply to the brokerage fee.

The consultation paper is available at www.sec.or.th/hearing. Stakeholders and interested parties are welcome to submit comments through the website, or facsimile at 0-2263-6293 or email: thanikul@sec.or.th.

The public hearing ends on November 14, 2016.