Microsoft expects to chalk up 26% growth

"If we grow, the industry will grow as well," Patama Chantaruck, managing director of Microsoft (Thailand), said last week.

Microsoft works with over 1,000 local independent software vendors and over 1,000 small system builders for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

The software industry is expected to expand 11 per cent this year.

Patama said next year's growth rate for Microsoft is projected at 35 per cent.

Of Microsoft's key markets, SMEs, which account for one-third of its business, will show the highest growth rate at 56 per cent. OEMs, accounting for the other third, would go up 16 per cent. The other two segments are enterprise and government, and education.

Microsoft's larger presence here would be supported by its commitment to pursuing research and development in the country. Its R&D centres for the localisation of programs into 128 languages and testing of software have been moved to Thailand. This year, at least 10 more software developers will be brought in.

Microsoft's head office in Redmond has approved a three-year plan to support 2 million unemployed workers in Thailand.

Computer and software skills training will be provided to the jobless at local communities throughout the country. A facility and infrastructure for these trained people has also been prepared with the launch of the Tumbol.com pilot project. Communi-ties can have their own Tumbol.com website as an e-marketplace to sell their local products to the world easily.

"Tumbol.com have been launched in a few communities. We hope to expand this project to cover as many local communities as we can by the end of this year," she said.

Microsoft has also committed to expanding Internet and computer access in communities through its 'iCafe' project, which provides software and applications to local Internet café service providers for a monthly fee, reducing their start-up investment.

About 4,000 Internet cafés have already joined the project and some 10,000 Internet cafés throughout the country are expected to come under the project by the end of this year.

Microsoft is also taking local independenct software vendors to its annual worldwide partner conference to help open up opportunities for them in international market through its network.

"Last year we took eight local ISVs to join Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference. Today six of them have already got customers and extended their market to the global arena. This year, we expect more than 14 local ISVs to join the conference," she said.