In a world full of many novice investors, no one is an expert from their very first step.
Thairath Money conducted a poll on the topic "Financial Topics Gen Z Wants to Know" via Thairath's website and online channels to gather opinions from young people interested in learning about finance.
The survey was divided into four sets of questions covering savings, investment, taxes and benefits, and debt management to delve into interests in each financial category.
The savings category poll showed the top three interests as follows:
Rank 1: Increasing supplementary income 45%.
Rank 2: Using apps/AI to manage money 28%.
Rank 3: Deposit interest rates 27%.
This reflects that young people prioritize expanding their income base because, in an era of rising living costs, regular job income ceilings have stagnated for nearly a decade, making supplementary income the most sought-after knowledge in savings.
Simultaneously, interest in using apps or AI for money management reflects young people's familiarity with digital tools; they prefer digital analysis and real-time expense categorization over manual bookkeeping.
Lastly, interest in deposit interest rates aligns with concerns about living costs, indicating young people are less interested in fixed deposit savings and more inclined towards investment to grow their savings.
In the investment category, the survey found that
Rank 1: Investing for retirement 32%.
Rank 2: Short-term speculative investing 23%.
Rank 3: Investing in cryptocurrency 18%.
Following these were foreign stock investing, trader-style investing, and value investing (VI), each at 9%.
Although many young people follow the "You only live once" mindset that may lead to spending without future planning, the poll shows that some already consider retirement plans while still students or early in their careers.
This supports the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) trend aimed at achieving financial freedom to avoid hardship in retirement.
However, interest in cryptocurrency and short-term speculation remains high, reflecting novice investors' attraction to digital assets.
Meanwhile, similar interest levels in foreign stocks and trader or VI investing suggest some young people are exploring their personal investment styles.
Regarding taxes and benefits, the poll indicated that
Rank 1: How to calculate, file, and pay taxes 39%.
Rank 2: Using tax deductions 36%.
Rank 3: Managing taxes on online income 14%.
Rank 4: Tax laws 11%.
At the age of first jobbers with regular income, tax concerns increase. Coupled with the rise of freelancing, young people want practical tax management knowledge, focusing on calculation and filing rather than tax law theory.
In the debt management category, the survey found that
Rank 1: Procedures for applying for home, car, and credit card loans 49%.
Rank 2: Loan interest rates 37%.
Rank 3: Credit bureau 14%.
Nearly half of respondents are interested in loan application procedures, reflecting a desire to plan for major life steps like buying a car, home, or building credit. Concern about loan interest rates ranks second, showing awareness of financial costs.
Although interest in credit bureau matters is lower, it reflects growing recognition among young people of the importance of financial history, which affects future opportunities.
In an era of easy information access but increasing financial risks, the challenge is not just more options but sufficient financial knowledge for decision-making.
It remains to be seen whether Thailand can comprehensively provide young people with access to financial literacy.
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