Best Forex Brokers Thailand 2023
Thailand’s current stock market, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), dates back to 1975 after it replaced the failed Bangkok Stock Exchange, giving it a fairly mature status. Thailand’s economy has also shown a considerable upswing in growth since 2000, with its GDP per capita coming in at USD 6.60K in 2017. A lot of this can be attributed to Thailand’s popularity as a tourist destination, with almost 10% of the country’s GDP derived from tourism.
The SET exchange lists stocks, indices and stock derivatives among its products, and it also provides a listing service for bonds, depository receipts (DRs) and mutual funds. The SET ranks as the 24th largest stock exchange worldwide by its 2019 market cap of $535.3 billion.
The main stock index for the SET is the SET Index which has been computed since 1975. It is a market capitalization-weighted price index that is computed from the prices of all of the common stocks listed on the SET’s main board. It excludes stocks that have been suspended from trading for over a year. The SET 50 Index and the SET 100 Index also provide narrower benchmark indices computed respectively from the top 50 and 100 stocks listed in terms of market cap that also have high liquidity and regulatory compliance.
Forex traders Forex traders will probably be familiar with Thailand’s national currency known as the Thai baht (THB). The baht is subdivided into 100 units called satang. The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has ranked the THB as the 24th most frequently traded currency in 2016, when it comprised about 0.4% of the overall forex turnover that year. The THB does not have a separate rank among currencies popular among central banks to be held as reserves, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Since 1997, Thailand has adopted an exchange rate regime that falls within the managed float category with a goal of maintaining the stability of the THB without having any specific target level. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) is the central bank that monitors and oversees exchange rate movements to make sure they alight with economic fundamentals and are not excessively volatile since that might cause adverse economic effects.
The primary Thai financial sector regulator has been the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand since The Securities and Exchange Act of 1992 (SEA) passed. Furthermore, SET policies and operations fall under the SET Board of Governors’ responsibilities, while the BOT is responsible for overseeing Thailand’s money markets, including forex trading.
The BOT started to introduce foreign exchange regulatory reforms in 2017 to enhance Thailand’s competitiveness. These included allowing Thais with assets of over 50 million baht to invest directly in overseas securities up to $1 million annually.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 65% and 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Best Online Brokers for Thailand
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IG
- 9.9/10 Overall
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FOREX.com
- 9.3/10 Overall
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XTB
- 9/10 Overall
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AvaTrade
- 8.6/10 Overall
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Capital.com
- 8.4/10 Overall
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XM Group
- 8.4/10 Overall
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Admiral Markets
- 8.3/10 Overall
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Tickmill
- 7.9/10 Overall
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BlackBull Markets
- 7.9/10 Overall
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HFM
- 7.7/10 Overall
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HYCM (Henyep)
- 7.7/10 Overall
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Eightcap
- 7.6/10 Overall
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ThinkMarkets
- 7.4/10 Overall
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easyMarkets
- 7.3/10 Overall
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AxiTrader
- 7.1/10 Overall
Minimum Initial Deposit
£250.00 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Highly Trusted |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.86 (September 2022) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.5957 (September 2022) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$100 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Highly Trusted |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.0 (July 2022) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.0 (July 2022) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$0 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Highly Trusted |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.07 (Q3 2022) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.04 (Q3 2022) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$100 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Highly Trusted |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.91 (Aug 2020) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 (Aug 2020) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$20 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Average Risk |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.6 (July 2021) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.6 (July 2022) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$5 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Trusted |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 (Aug 2020) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 (Aug 2021) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$100 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Trusted |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 (July 2021) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 (July 2021) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$100 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Trusted |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.51 (August 2022) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.31 (August 2022) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
Minimum Initial Deposit
$0 |
Trust Score Trust Score is a numerical rating (from 1 - 99) that represents a broker's overall trust.close
Average Risk |
Cost & Fundingexpand_moreexpand_less
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.827 (August 2022) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.827 (August 2022) |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes |
How to Trade in Thailand
When a Thai-based trader is seeking an online broker to trade forex pairs or CFDs through, many major brokers will accept them since there are few, if any, local brokers. Having a broker regulated in a strict jurisdiction that segregates its client funds from its own money will help assure the safety of any deposits made. Brokers should also ideally have a good general reputation with clients and offer a decent range of services.
Just about all online brokers will provide traders with demo accounts funded with a given amount of virtual money traders can use to practice trading and test strategies. Brokers also generally offer funded accounts for traders ready to make a minimum initial deposit so that they can start trading. Some brokers will also offer Islamic accounts that comply with Sharia law for Muslim traders that do not have swaps on rollovers.
For those that prefer to communicate in Thai, an important consideration might be if that language is supported on the broker’s website and by its customer support services. Virtually all online brokers support communicating in English, but if Thai is strongly preferable, then remember to inquire about that before opening an account.
With respect to asset classes that can be traded online, choices can differ substantially among online brokers. Most will provide forex trading services, although contract for difference (CFD) trading has become quite common and generally allows for a greater choice of assets, if available.
When it comes to stock trading, the Stock Exchange of Thailand aims to provide a fair and transparent market for traders in a variety of asset classes relevant to Thailand that include Thai stocks, bonds, indices and derivatives. SET trades are generally executed in Thai baht.
The SET has used the trading software known as SET CONNECT since 2012 that replaced its Advance Resilience Matching System or ARMS trading system that was introduced in 2008. The SET’s new trading system has higher transaction speeds, makes international market access easier, and can process a greater range of financial products for investors.
Biggest Opportunities of Trading in Thailand
Despite Thailand being geographically rather small with a surface area of just over 500,000 square kilometers, the population of Thailand is substantial at 69.3 million, ranking 20th overall worldwide by population. Also, 53.6% of Thailand’s population lives in an urban setting.
In addition, according to GOV.UK, Thailand offers some excellent opportunities for businesses, including:
- A growing affluent middle class alongside a well-developed infrastructure borne out by a comprehensive infrastructure investment plan.
- A trading hub for accessing opportunities in Greater Mekong sub-region, including Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), and southern China.
- 50% of the world’s population lives within a 5-hour flight.
- Modern industrial estates and incentives which are increasingly available from the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI).
- Thailand was ranked 27th overall for ease of doing business in the county by the World Bank.
- Thailand also received favorable rankings for getting electricity (6th), protecting minority investors (15th), resolving insolvency (24th), and enforcing contracts (35th).
Biggest Challenges of Trading in Thailand
In order, Thailand’s primary trading partners consist of the United States, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia, according to the World Bank Group. The country does not have a particularly strong trading relationship with the UK, so Brexit should not result in much uncertainty for the Thai economy.
Also, The World Bank notes that Thailand had a rather high 68.2% ratio of trade to GDP numbers as of 2017, which boosts its economic vulnerability to trade issues. Furthermore, Thailand does not enjoy a stable currency environment, since its central bank pursues a managed float exchange rate policy.
The World Bank ranked Thailand less favorably when it comes to dealing with construction permits (67th), registering property (66th), paying taxes, and trading across borders (both 59th), as well as the ease of getting credit (44th).
Summary
Overall, Thailand offers a fairly secure place for businesses and traders to operate in, ranking 27th overall for the ease of doing business by the World Bank. Furthermore, Thai financial institutions are competently overseen by the BOT and the SEC of Thailand, although forex and CFD traders will typically be using accounts opened with foreign online brokers.
When selecting among the various online brokers to trade through from Thailand, traders should ensure that a broker is well regulated in its local jurisdiction and has a good asset class selection, a favorable reputation with clients, and a trading platform with the required features. Trustworthy online brokers should also keep client margin deposits separate from their own funds in case of financial difficulties.
BrokerNotes.co 2023 Overall Rankings
To recap, here are our top forex brokers for 2023, sorted by Overall ranking.
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Forex Risk Disclaimer
There is a very high degree of risk involved in trading securities. With respect to margin-based foreign exchange trading, off-exchange derivatives, and cryptocurrencies, there is considerable exposure to risk, including but not limited to, leverage, creditworthiness, limited regulatory protection and market volatility that may substantially affect the price, or liquidity of a currency or related instrument. It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable, or that they will not result in losses. Learn more about foreign exchange risk.
About the Editorial Team
Marcus Taylor
BrokerNotes was founded in 2014 by Marcus Taylor, founder and CEO of Venture Harbor, a venture studio in Oxford that develops innovative online tools & technology across a range of sectors.
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