Bangkok--25 Nov--APICTA
The 11th Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards, a program aims to increase ICT awareness in the international community and assist in bridging the digital divide, in partnership with The Association of Thai ICT Industry (ATCI) and Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA), took place on the 8th-11th of November 2011 at Dusit Thani Pattaya, Thailand. This annual award has provided a benchmark in Thai ICT innovations while recognizing outstanding achievements of Thai innovators.
Nominations for the APICTA 2011 awards competition streamed in from 11 economy members— Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Macau, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam with total of 162 nominations in 17 categories. Thai Software Teams has crowned with 6 awards: 3 winners in Tools and Infrastructure, Tourism and Hospitality, and Industrial Application and 3 merits in Secondary Student Project, Tertiary Student Project, and Financial Industry Application.
Ms. Nipastraporn Jiamchoatpattanakul, the Managing Director of Netka System Co. Ltd., the Winner in Tools and Infrastructure stated “it is not enough for the Software Companies to only develop their products, but we also have to look a step further in expanding the market internationally in order to survive in the industry. And APICTA Awards has proven to us that we are able to reach that goal”.
Mr. Thamanoon Vechvittayakhlung, the General Manager of Nippon SySits Co. Ltd., the Winner in Tourism and Hospitality from the “Galileo Direct” Project, a next-generation application for monitoring the flight price also explained about his brilliant product, “for our application, our clients are charged monthly. This application will turn their threats and competitors into their business partners. Nowadays, there are more than 350 Internet-base travel websites, and with “Galileo Direct”, we have 95% market share (around 300 websites) of these websites. We, now, also have moved into an international filed as Indonesia and Macau have purposed to be our business partners”.
The creator of BUILK.COM” from Builk Asia Co. Ltd., the Winner in Industrial Application, Mr. Patai Padungtin also pointed out the opportunity of software improvements in the Industrial and Construction arena. “There aren’t many software innovations in construction field; therefore, there are many opportunities in expanding this into the market. It is, however, really difficult to approach and persuade people in the field to use the application. With “BUILK.COM”, the users can expand their markets locally and internationally and develop the industry and construction field into the next decade”.
Mr. Adirake Patitus, the President of The Association of Thai ICT Industry (ATCI), further explained the new market opportunities in the ICT Industry that may happen in the near future. “The biggest application that we have seen this year seems to be the Mobile Phone Application. And this application is also possible to create and accomplish successful applications with only 5-6 innovators. I strongly believe that for the next 2-3 years, we will see more of Thai innovative software applications in the international markets, which will increase the value of ICT exported products and yield more income to our country. And with the good partnerships between each sector in Thailand, we will also be able to become a leader in exporting software applications”.
“At the moment, we have talented software innovators and excellent software technology to compete with our main competitors such as Singapore and Malaysia. This market expansion into an international field, however, will not happen without the support and true understanding in ICT market from Thai Government. Many small businesses may lose everything within couple years if there are no corporations between sectors”.
Mr. Prinya Krachangmon, Vice President of Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) also affirmed that SIPA would support and promote the Winners’ and Merits’ applications from APICTA 2010 to international business success. “We are going to have a “road-show” for all these applications abroad. And we are positive that with the recognition of APICTA Awards guaranteeing the qualities, these applications will definitely benefit Thai economy in the nearest future”.