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Published on November 28, 2007

After experiencing fierce competition from new rivals, it expects its "Business in the Box" licences to accelerate its expansion to all provinces throughout Thailand from the current four branches in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Nation Edutainment assistant senior vice president Kulthida Mongkol

sirikiet said yesterday that interested entrepreneurs who already had their own small language schools could buy curriculum licences from the company. They would

not have to establish an entire new

school.

The company has confidence that the strategy will enable the brand to spread nationwide quickly as licences cost only Bt100,000 compared to an initial investment of Bt1 million for opening full-scale franchises.

Buying a licence also shortens the period to reach breakeven point from at least two years for franchisees to 10 months for licensees.

Kulthida declined to reveal the exact figure of targeted revenue growth but said that Direct English planned to sell up to 30 licences in the first 12 months. It also aims for revenue from selling licences to account for 60 per cent of its revenue within two years.

Nitida Asawanipont

 The Nation