BrokerTH
Gold hit $4,165 per ounce in June 2026 before pulling back, and many Thai investors are asking how to add gold exposure without buying physical gold bars or navigating a gold shop. The answer is the KTAM GLD ETF (SET ticker: GLD) — a feeder fund listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand that tracks the SPDR Gold Trust. If you have a Thai brokerage account, you can buy GLD in the same way you would buy any SET-listed stock. Here is exactly how.
Step 1: Open a Thai Brokerage Account (If You Do Not Have One)
You need a securities trading account with a Thai broker. Major options include:
- Kasikorn Securities (KS): Online application through KBank app, same-day approval for existing KBank customers
- Bualuang Securities (BLS): Bangkok Bank subsidiary, online application at bualuang.com
- SCB Securities: SCB Easy app integration, straightforward KYC
- Finansia Syrus: Popular for active traders, strong mobile app
Required documents: Thai national ID card, a savings account at the same bank (for fund settlement), and a selfie for identity verification. Most online applications are completed within 1–3 business days.
Step 2: Fund Your Account
Transfer money from your bank account to your brokerage account. Most Thai brokers settle trades in T+2 (trade date plus two business days). You need the funds to clear before the settlement date. Minimum amounts vary: some brokers allow as little as THB 5,000 per trade, but GLD units trade at roughly THB 100–150 per unit (depending on gold price and current exchange rate), so even a small gold position of 100 units requires around THB 10,000–15,000.
Step 3: Search for GLD on Your Broker’s Platform
Log into your broker’s app or web platform. In the search bar, type “GLD” — this will bring up the KTAM Gold Tracker ETF. The ticker is GLD, listed on the SET. Check the current unit price and the fund’s latest NAV, which is updated daily on the KTAM website and the SET website. The GLD price will closely track gold spot in baht terms, with a small premium or discount to NAV that reflects intraday market demand.
Step 4: Place Your Order
ETFs on the SET trade in board lots of 100 units. Your buy order must be in multiples of 100 units. Select “Buy,” enter the number of units (minimum 100), choose a limit price (recommended) or market price, and confirm. During regular SET trading hours (10:00–12:30 and 14:30–17:00 Bangkok time), your order executes when matched with a seller.
Use a limit order rather than market order — GLD can have limited liquidity at specific bid/ask levels, and a market order could fill at an unfavourable price during volatile gold sessions.
Step 5: Monitor Your Position
After purchase, your GLD position appears in your portfolio at your cost price. Monitor two things: the gold spot price in USD (tracked on SET.or.th, Investing.com, or your broker’s market data) and USD/THB (because GLD’s baht value depends on both). The GLD fund’s expense ratio is approximately 0.5% per year (the fund management fee from KTAM) plus the SPDR Gold Trust’s own 0.40% expense ratio — so roughly 0.9% total annual cost, much lower than buying physical gold at a gold shop (which involves 1–2% spread on buy/sell).
Key Practical Points
- Capital gains from ETF sales on the SET are exempt from Thai personal income tax for individual investors — this applies to GLD as well
- GLD does not pay dividends; gains come solely from unit price appreciation
- For short-term trading, use limit orders and avoid thinly traded periods (first and last 10 minutes of each session)
- GLD units can be sold any day the SET is open; proceeds settle T+2
Buying gold through GLD is not the same as owning physical gold. You have no redemption right into physical gold bars as a retail investor. But for portfolio exposure purposes, GLD has tracked gold spot prices closely since its launch and delivers the economic exposure Thai investors want without storage, insurance, or gold shop transaction costs.
