Amid a sluggish Thai stock market in 2025, Thai listed companies set an impressive record by paying dividends totaling more than 650 billion baht, the highest ever. This reflects the strength of earnings across various industries despite weak stock prices and investment sentiment.
Data from the Stock Exchange of Thailand shows that major drivers were large business groups, especially energy, banking, and telecommunications sectors, which continued to return profits to shareholders, becoming a "bright spot" during a year full of stock market volatility.
Sumitra Tangsombatpong, Research Department, Stock Exchange of Thailand, reported that in 2025, 581 companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI) paid dividends to shareholders 838 times, with total dividends paid exceeding 651.239 billion baht, a record high.
Compared to 2024, the dividend payments in 2025 increased by 9.71%. Notably, listed companies in the financial sector paid record-high dividends supported by higher net profits.
The top three business sectors by dividend payments in 2025 were energy and utilities, banking, and information technology and telecommunications. These three sectors combined paid over 374.8 billion baht, representing 57.6% of the total dividends paid by listed companies that year.
Between March and May 2025, listed companies paid dividends 533 times, accounting for 63.6% of all dividend payments that year. May recorded the highest number and value of dividend payments.
The above dividend payment statistics provide preliminary information to investors on dividend payment timing, helping them plan stock selection and decide when to buy dividend-paying stocks for their portfolios.
However, investing carries risks, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should assess companies’ profitability and other factors impacting listed companies’ earnings.
Although in 2025 listed companies provided dividend returns that brought some smiles to shareholders, it was a challenging year. The SET Index closed at 1,259.67 points, down 140.54 points or -10.03% from the start of the year, marking the third consecutive year of decline, reflecting a sluggish market and lack of investor confidence recovery.
Entering 2026, the Thai stock market continues to face pressure. By 14 January 2026, the SET Index stood at 1,244.30 points, down 15.37 points or -1.22% since the start of the year, indicating a lack of new positive factors to support a clear recovery.
Going forward, investors will need to watch key factors such as political direction and elections, the new government’s economic policies, and plans to restore confidence in the Thai capital market to see if these can reverse the situation and steer the index upward.
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