New Aom Plus bonds offer low entry and yields up to 2.8%

Thailand’s Finance Ministry will launch its first 'Aom Plus' government savings bonds on July 31, introducing a broader range of digital and conventional purchasing channels and allowing retail investors to begin with as little as 100 baht.

The inaugural offering will comprise a three-year bond paying fixed interest of 1.80% a year and a 10-year bond offering 2.80% annually.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas presented the programme as a more accessible savings and investment option designed to connect household finances with government funding for the country’s economic development.

The bonds will be available through the 'Sor Bor Mor' Wallet on the Paotang app, participating commercial banks and securities companies, as well as the Streaming investment application.

People using the Paotang route can start with 100 baht, while subscriptions through banks, brokers and Streaming will begin at 1,000 baht.

Four features behind Aom Plus

The ministry has framed the product around four “Plus” features intended to make government bonds easier to access and trade.

1. The first is regular availability, with sales planned every month to promote greater financial inclusion.
2. The second is returns, with fixed interest rates intended to make the bonds competitive as a savings option.
3. The third is access to a secondary market, allowing market mechanisms to support more transparent pricing for investors seeking to trade their holdings.
4. The fourth is a wider distribution network, combining the Paotang wallet with banks, securities companies and the Streaming platform.

Ekniti said the bonds were not intended solely to provide returns to individual investors. Money raised from the public would become part of the government’s funding for economic and national development, while bondholders would receive interest on their investment.

Two THB4bn offerings planned

The Finance Ministry plans to hold two Aom Plus offerings during fiscal 2026, each worth THB4 billion.

For each offering, THB2 billion will be distributed through the Sor Bor Mor Wallet on Paotang and another THB2 billion through the Bond Connect Platform.

The first offering begins on July 31, while the next is scheduled to open from September 4. The ministry plans to announce the interest rates and issue size for the September round in mid-August.

The ministry said regular offerings would allow people to build government-bond holdings gradually instead of limiting participation to investors able to commit large sums at one time.

Paotang purchases start at 100 baht

The Sor Bor Mor Wallet route is aimed particularly at people beginning with relatively modest savings.

Investors can subscribe from 100 baht through the Paotang app. Allocation will be on a first-come, first-served basis until the THB2-billion quota is exhausted.

Krungthai Bank said purchases through the wallet can be made in increments of 100 baht. Both maturities will pay interest every three months.

The bank’s published terms set a maximum of THB3 million for each purchase and an aggregate holding limit of THB50 million per person through this channel. The wallet offering is scheduled to run from July 31 to August 31, unless it sells out earlier.

Prospective investors are advised to download Paotang, complete registration and identity verification, and ensure that sufficient money is available in the Sor Bor Mor Wallet before sales begin.

Funds can be transferred through mobile banking, a linked Krungthai account or by using the wallet ID at Krungthai branches.

Bank and brokerage allocation differs

Investors with securities-trading accounts can subscribe through 24 participating commercial banks and securities companies, including through Streaming.

The minimum subscription through the Bond Connect Platform is 1,000 baht.

Unlike the wallet channel, subscriptions will not be allocated according to who applies first. Instead, the system will use a “small lot first” approach, distributing bonds to applicants in rounds of 1,000 baht.

This means that applying earlier or later within the official subscription period will not affect an investor’s priority. The method is intended to spread the available bonds among a greater number of retail applicants.

When the remaining amount in the final allocation round is insufficient for every applicant, the system will conduct a random allocation until the quota is filled.

Applicants will be informed of their allocation on August 6. Money relating to unsuccessful or partially fulfilled subscriptions will be returned on the same day.

The THB2-billion quotas for the Paotang wallet and the Bond Connect Platform are separate, allowing investors to use either channel or both.

Bonds issued without paper certificates

Aom Plus bonds will be issued in scripless form, meaning investors will not receive paper certificates or physical bond books.

Holdings and transactions can instead be checked through the distributor’s designated services, the Streaming app and the Wiset application.

The ministry said the digital system was intended to reduce traditional barriers to government-bond investment while making transactions more convenient, transparent and traceable.

Government bonds are debt instruments through which investors lend money to the state in exchange for interest and repayment of the principal at maturity. The proceeds can support economic and social development, budget financing or public-debt management.

Ekniti described Aom Plus as both a personal savings instrument and an opportunity for the public to participate in funding Thailand’s future development.