Thailand could well use more services, like TheStreet.com.
Thailand could well use more services, like TheStreet.com. Here is a dominant provider of original, timely, comprehensive, independent and trustworthy financial news and commentary with a global reach. The emphasis is on independent professional research and observations and all without a bias. This is our aim.
WHAT DO THE MANY INVESTORS REALLY NEED?
Financial portals in Thailand are still few and most are not sure yet how they should define themselves. Besides providing some basic research, too many brokers believe instant quotes and fancy graphs are the almighty tools that investors and traders alike, cheer on. The majority here still believe that such trading tools, along with the rehashing of the daily business news, are paramount what local and foreign investor and traders should need.
These sites provide mostly what they themselves, think their clients should require. But has anybody ever bothered to ask what the investors really want? Or need?
True enough, traders/speculators and institutions need highly liquid SET shares so to implement their own strategies. But what about the thousands or even millions of individual savers, what do they mostly need? Here is by far the largest group of potential SET shareowners, both Thai and foreign, who are looking for a relatively rational and prudent place to invest, not just speculate via risky trading. "Prudent" in this context simply means understanding better, the advantages and inherent risks, of a fully diversified stock portfolio. Where the objective of long term gains is the key ingredient.
All this assumes selecting Thai shares based on intrinsic value, potential earnings growth, and high dividends -- rather than pure speculative appeal through short term trading.
With the broker community pushing high turnover so to boost needed commission income, where can Thai investors turn for clear, unbiased analysis and recommendations? Unfortunately today there are too few options. In the future however, Thailand should enjoy more of the kind of services provided to US investors by a winning web site, called TheStreet.com.
This US site is a dominant provider of original, timely, comprehensive, independent and trustworthy financial news and commentary with a global reach. The emphasis is on independent professional research and observations and all without a bias. Here the good and the bad and the ugly of stock investing -all get exposed in a professional way. With a present staff of over 110 professional reporters and editors, TheStreet.com is still growing fast. This, despite a significant US market correction witnessed this year.
Their web site counts over 174 current advertisers, this as compared to 65, a year ago. On average some 43 million pages get viewed there each month. This is up from 17 million during the same period last year. Clearly they are commanding the attention of their viewers as they are delivering what is sought after most.
In a recent SEC filling they describe their core business motto as follows:
"It is very important that we maintain our reputation as a trustworthy news organization.
The occurrence of event, including our mis-reporting a news story or the non-disclosure of stock ownership by one or more of our writers, in breach with our compliance policy, could harm our reputation for trustworthiness. These events could result in a significant reduction in the number our readers, which could materially adversely affect our business and financial condition".
Here then, is one of the top and most successful financial web site in the world. Its mission is to deliver foremost independent news and opinions in a developed county, where news, opinions and events get reported fast and efficiently to begin with. It’s a winning business model because TheStreet.com above all, delivers on what their readers really want; not just what some executives think they should get.
How does this then compare to Thailand?
Thailand is an important country in SE Asia with vast cultural and language differences. So at times, it can be difficult to understand even simple nuances. Misunderstandings occur resulting in confusion and hence, lower confidence by foreign investors.
Often, a lack of trust comes due to wrong or incomplete understanding of the real issues or local practices. The best way a confused person can obtain a better grasp -and so higher confidence- is by having an independent source explain the subject, without any bias, gain or ulterior motive. Thailand could well use more services, like TheStreet.com!
The new information economy is all about empowering alert individuals and institutions in getting more independent information -and this from unbiased sources- on perceived unknown values.
Paul A. Renaud. & Team.
