As Thailand’s private wealth market becomes more outward-looking, investment advice is being reshaped by exploring different sources of returns. Customers are becoming increasingly familiar with global public markets, are more willing to consider alternatives, and are more interested in the opportunities that something beyond standard product shelves offers. In that environment, companies are under increasing pressure not only to provide access, but also to explain why that access is specific, how it is sourced, and where it fits into the broader portfolio strategy. At the recent Hubbis Wealth Management event in Thailand, a panel chaired by Paul Gambles explored how wealth managers are responding to volatility, changing client expectations and the increasing complexity of portfolio construction. Among the panelists, Taviphol Chardtumrong, managing director of Arc 9 Capital, offered a perspective shaped by access to private markets, growth investment and cross-border deals. His comments highlighted a different side of the advisor conversation in 2026: the value of access as a differentiator, the exploration of investing between traditional fixed income and more growth-oriented alternatives, and the importance of maintaining a long-term view even when public market volatility dominates the headlines.
key takeaways
- Access is a key differentiator:Taviphol centers Arc9 Capital’s value around originating and sharing access to growth opportunities that are not widely available.
- Private markets can offer differentiated exposure:The focus is on connecting investors with scalable companies and local opportunities, not just delivering products.
- Options need to solve a real portfolio problem: Investors are looking for opportunities that can bridge the gap between low-yield bonds and high-return strategies.
- long-term discipline remains necessary: In private markets, short-term volatility matters less than the quality of the underlying company and the sustainability of the strategy.
- Not all personal loans are the same: The asset class may have weak underwriting in some areas, but it still offers real opportunities when approached selectively.
A proposal built around accessibility
When asked what differentiates Arc 9 Capital, Taviphol gave a simple answer. “I think our value differentiator is that we provide access — not access to products, but access to transactions, companies and structures that typically aren’t available through traditional channels,” he said.
That word, access, is often used in wealth management, but Tawifol has given it a more specific meaning. He wasn’t just talking about access to products already on the distribution shelf. Instead, they described access to private market opportunities, local relationships and deal structures that may be difficult for international investors to source on their own.
Arc 9, he explained, is a Thailand-based, Singapore-domiciled growth equity fund. The emphasis on growth is central, but equally important is the ability to connect capital to transactions and businesses that are not widely available. He noted investments such as a Singapore-based international school and an agricultural company in Thailand, where foreign investors were given access not only to their own opportunities, but also to Arc9’s local execution capabilities. In the school case, Arc9 is supporting investors in meeting licensing and regulatory requirements, while in the agricultural investment, the incoming consortium was able to access local bank financing through Arc9’s relationships. He noted investments in areas such as an international school in Singapore and an agricultural company in Thailand, where foreign investors were given access not only to opportunity but, in one case, local bank financing as well.
That distinction matters. For Tawiphol, accessibility doesn’t just mean introducing investors to a property. It is about creating a fulfilling path into an opportunity through local knowledge, relationships and execution ability. In a market where many companies claim to offer different solutions, this is a more concrete definition of what differentiation can mean.
“We sit between global capital and Southeast Asian opportunities, and our role is to structure transactions where both parties benefit as well as drive forward a number of value-add initiatives during the investment period.”
Development investment through a local lens
Taviphol’s comments also highlighted how private markets can offer exposure to growth in ways that differ from listed equity allocations. Rather than relying on broad market beta or packaged thematic ideas, Arc 9 appears to be focused on identifying companies that are scalable and positioned in attractive sectors.
He clearly said that the company is “not just focusing on products”. Instead, it aims to provide investors “access to the fastest growing, scalable companies”.
This language suggests a very different philosophy from traditional product-based private banking. The manager’s role is not just to collect opportunities and place them in a client portfolio. The aim is to identify where private capital can deliver more targeted exposure to business growth.
This is particularly relevant in Thailand and the wider region, where local knowledge and networks still matter in sourcing opportunities. Private markets often reward trusted relationships, market familiarity and the ability to navigate local financing or ownership structures. Tavifol’s examples show that Arc 9 sees these local advantages as part of its edge.
In that sense, his approach reflects broader developments in wealth management. Differentiation is no longer just about finding better overlays for listed assets. It is also about finding reliable ways to connect investors to businesses and growth trajectories that public markets cannot directly capture.
“Private markets allow you to be selective. You’re not buying the market – you’re picking specific companies where capital and strategy can change the outcome.”
Filling gaps in portfolio
Another interesting aspect of Tawiphol’s contribution was how he determined the role of options in portfolio construction. Referring to private debt, he suggested that many investors were trying to solve a practical problem.
Thai investors in government bonds can only earn around one to two percent, he said, while investment grade exposure can offer three to five percent. This still leaves a gap between conservative yields and the return expectations of many investors. The challenge is how to fill that gap without exposing the portfolio to excessive risk.
This framing is useful because it shifts the discussion away from asset classes and toward the role they have to play. Investors are not interested in private debt or growth private markets just because they are fashionable. They are interested because traditional building blocks can no longer provide the combination of income, growth and diversification they want.
Taviphol’s comments suggest that part of the value of Arc 9 lies in identifying investments that can more effectively capture that middle ground. This does not eliminate risk, but it reflects a pragmatic approach to options. The question is not just what the asset class is called, but what portfolio problem it is helping to solve.
“When we look at options, we don’t start with the asset class – we start with the portfolio problem. Many investors today face a gap between low-yielding fixed income and higher-risk growth assets. Options, when done correctly, are meant to bridge that gap.”
A long-term approach in a volatile environment
When the discussion turned to market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty, Taweefol was clear that these dynamics affect his world less directly than they affect some public market investors. Private market strategies are naturally less sensitive to daily price fluctuations and headline-driven moves.
Nevertheless, his message was consistent with the panel’s emphasis on discipline. “We think about the long term. We are sticking to our strategy,” he said.
That point is particularly relevant in private markets, where the investment case typically depends less on short-term macro noise and more on the quality of the underlying business, the strength of the management team and the execution of the growth plan. “If you pick the best of the best in the industry, the sector, the companies, I think they should prevail,” Taviphol said.
This is not an argument for ignoring broader risks altogether. This is an argument that for investors in growth equity and similar private markets strategies, short-term volatility should not displace fundamental analysis. Public market turmoil may change sentiment, but it does not automatically change the quality of the company.
“The time frame is a competitive advantage. If you can think in five to seven years instead of five to seven months, you can invest very differently.”
A balanced view on personal loans
Private lending became one of the more debated topics of the panel, with concerns raised about underwriting standards and the quality of some products entering customer portfolios. Taviphol replied in a measured manner.
He acknowledged that, from an asset selection perspective, this has been an area of concern for a long time. “The market was flooded with liquidity and in such an environment underwriting could break down at some point,” he said.
This is a useful admission. This reflects an awareness that rapid growth in any private market sector can undermine standards. Yet he stopped short of dismissing the asset class as a whole. “I think there’s still a lot of opportunity there,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a lot of good personal credit out there too.”
Their conclusion was that different cycles would help reveal stronger managers. “Once they are tested through different cycles, then you will see who the good managers are.”