Microsoft boost to Thai firms

Microsoft (Thailand) will provide its set of technologies, worth Bt4 million, to each local software vendor to "short cut" their software development as well as lifting it to meet global technology standards.

Moreover, Microsoft (Thailand) will offer them technical support and advice on marketing, as well as matching funds with the company's listed venture capital.

Microsoft (Thailand) managing director Patama Chantaruk said Thailand was the first developing country in which the company had introduced the programme. The objective is to give local software companies the strength of a Microsoft business partnership.

Local software companies wishing to become part of the programme must either be newly established or at least three years old. Applications under development should include solutions for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the areas of finance, customer relationship management, business intelligence, or call centres.

Microsoft will package the locally developed applications along with its software when approaching its 40,000 local customers in the SME market.

"With this program, we provide software tools as well as our technologies and technical consultancy worth up to Bt4 million for each company. We help them from the software-development period through to marketing support in both local and global markets through Microsoft's network. We aim to support a total of about 100 companies," Patama said.

Collaboration with ATSI and Software Park Thailand will allow the programme to reach local software companies efficiently. Of the targeted total of 100 companies, some are expected to be ATSI members and others will come from Software Park Thailand's incubation centre.