The shop is part of Sirivat's drive into the provinces. He said the shop would hire students and graduates as full- and part-time staff.

Already the shop is being fitted out and should start serving in August.

"This will be considered a workshop for students studying business," said Sirivat, adding the shop would be a model for future Coffee Corners.

As well as coffee, the shops offer sandwiches, sushi using local rice and locally canned and bottled fruit juices.

Sirivat said apart from recruiting students he would use local materials, such as rice, as much as possible.

"Unless it cannot be found in the province the shop is located in we will use local goods," he said.

He expects to open more shops using the Payap format.

"I aim to list on the Market for Alternative Investment in 2009," said Sirivat, a survivor of the 1997 economic meltdown.

Starting from scratch after the crash, the former stock-market whiz and property developer began making and selling sandwiches at busy commercial areas in Bangkok like Silom and Sukhumvit.

Presently he is running Coffee Corner as a private concern but will seek partners and venture capital as he expands the company.

Before listing he hopes to franchise Coffee Corner to accelerate expansion.

To help meet quality standards he plans to establish a Sirivat Institute to provide training for franchisees and staff.

He opened his first Coffee Corner by Sirivat Sandwich at BNH Hospital five years ago.

The second opened at Bangkok Hospital last year.

He introduced a variety of healthy fast-food products, too, using local rice and fruit.

 Recently, Sirivat began marketing Ma-Kiang and Samrong fruit juices in bottles and cans using the Sirivat Sandwich brand.

Sasithorn Ongdee

The Nation