Thai share prices closed 0.12 percent lower on Thursday as investors were worried over possible violence at a weekend rally against the country's army-installed government, dealers said. They said investors also locked in profits in banking and energy stocks.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index fell 0.90 points to 776.20, while the blue chip SET 50 index lost 1.35 points to 552.01. Gainers led losers 201 to 142 with 106 stocks unchanged on turnover of 6.0 billion shares worth 23.2 billion baht (670 million dollars).
The Thai baht was unchanged from Wednesday, closing at 34.60-61 to the dollar. Against the euro, the Thai currenncy finished at 46.26-31 from 46.44-49. "Investors turned sellers due to worry over possible violence at the protest," said Chai Chirasevenupraphand, a market strategist at Capital Nomura Securities.
Supporters of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra planned to hold a major rally in central Bangkok Saturday to demand an end to the junta. Since a court dissolved Thaksin's party in late May, thousands of protesters have been joining nightly anti-junta demonstrations. So far there were no violent incidents.
Since last year's coup, Thaksin has been in exile and currently lives in London. Thailand's top energy firm PTT fell 4.00 baht to 268.00 while its unit PTT Exploration and Production declined 1.00 to 110.00. The kingdom's top lender Bangkok Bank lost 1.00 to 119.00 and the third largest lender Kasikorn Bank was unchanged at 74.00. Thai Airways International edged up 0.50 to 44.75, but Thailand's largest mobile phone operator, Advanced Info Service (AIS), fell 1.50 to 88.00.
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