Fear of missing out or anxiety when prices fall can lead to rushed decisions. Avoiding mistakes is not about predicting the market; it is about setting review rules before investing and applying them when buying and selling.
Set rules before looking at the price
- State your goal and when you will need the money.
- Set an investment amount whose potential loss you can bear, without using essential emergency funds.
- Write down why you would buy and what conditions would make you review the decision before placing an order.
- Check fees, liquidity and risks in the product documents.
Check the product and anyone soliciting your money
A promise of high, guaranteed returns in a short time, pressure to transfer money immediately, or use of a well-known company’s name and images are reasons to pause and investigate. The Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advises investors to check providers and products through its official channels, and not to transfer money based only on a link or solicitation on social media. Read the SEC’s guide to spotting investment scams and its Anti-Scam Center information.
Keep a record of each decision
Record the date, reason for buying, information used, risk accepted and conditions for review. When you return to it later, you can see whether you acted on information or on news and a passing emotion. Record-keeping does not automatically improve returns, but it helps you review your own process.
When prices fall, check the reason before changing your plan
Ask whether the underlying information or your goal has changed. Separate ordinary volatility from a risk that invalidates your original assumptions, and avoid adding money just to “get even” if you do not understand the product or how it generates returns.
A checklist before transferring money
- Find the provider’s name through an official source; do not rely on a phone number or link supplied by the solicitor.
- Read the product documents and check whether the product is authorized for sale.
- Do not share passwords or one-time passwords (OTPs), or transfer money to a personal account claiming to belong to an agent.
- If you cannot explain how the investment generates returns, stop and gather more information.
This article is a tool for reviewing decision-making habits, not a recommendation to buy or sell securities.
Three biases to notice before making a decision
Behavioral-finance materials published by the SEC discuss examples of bias linked to emotion and preference, conclusions based on only part of the evidence, and choosing what feels familiar—such as the company where you work. Understanding bias does not predict prices or eliminate mistakes. It can help you check whether you are using enough information.
- Emotion and urgency: Ask whether you are buying because you understand the asset or because you fear missing an opportunity.
- Incomplete evidence: Look for reasons your initial conclusion could be wrong, and read risks alongside potential benefits.
- Familiarity: Check whether your investments are concentrated in one company, employer or industry.
The SEC suitability assessment considers your goals, financial situation, investment horizon and feelings about losses. Consider both your ability and willingness to take risk; do not use one answer as a substitute for a complete financial plan.
Sources: the SEC’s behavioral-finance article and its investment suitability assessment.
The embedded video is a short clip about dividend funds. It does not match the topic of investor psychology and is retained as a source reference, not as evidence for the guidance in this article.