Journal of Federation of Accounting Professions

THE FORENSIC ACCOUNTING PROFESSION: The curriculum and career development aspects

Thanyathorn Sornrachoti — 2025-12-29

The development of forensic accounting knowledge and professional pathways in Thailand continues to face several challenges due to various limitations such as a shortage of personnel with specialized skills or the misperception that the role of forensic accountants is overlapping with that of auditors and internal controllers. Consequently, the demand for experts in this area remains lower than expected. Using qualitative research methods to capture comprehensive insights from both theoretical and practical perspectives, this study aims to explore and gather information to propose strategies for strengthening the forensic accounting profession in Thailand. This would enhance organizations’ ability to prevent and investigate fraud more effectively in the future. The findings reveal an urgent need to develop clear professional standards and accreditation systems for forensic accounting in Thailand to address the growing complexity of fraud. One recommended approach is to foster collaboration between academic and professional sectors to establish specialized postgraduate programs which cover core knowledge areas in accounting, auditing, business law, psychology, communication and information technology related to forensic investigations. Broadening the educational pipeline and enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration are key to build a robust forensic accounting profession in Thailand.

Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance and Dividend Payout: Evidence from Thai Listed Firms

Pavinee Manowan — 2025-12-29

This study investigates the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance on dividend payout among Thai listed companies during 2014–2024. Using a sample of 1,573 firm-year observations across three industry groups, including Agro, Industrial and Resources (Industry 1), Consumer, Service and Technology (Industry 2), and Financial, Property and Construction (Industry 3), the study applies a fixed-effects panel regression corrected for heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation through Weighted Least Squares (WLS) and AR(2) specifications. Consistent with international evidence, ESG performance is positively associated with dividend payouts across all industries, with the strongest effect observed in financial and property firms. When ESG is decomposed, environmental performance significantly increases dividends in Industry 2 and 3, while the social pillar shows no significant influence. Governance scores reduce dividend payouts only in Industry 1. Additional findings reveal that profitability and leverage reduce dividends, firm age negatively affects payouts in Industry 2, and Thai firms exhibit strong dividend smoothing behavior. These results highlight the growing importance of sustainability signals in shaping financial policy in an emerging-market context where ESG practices and investor expectations are still evolving.