Bangkok--3 Sep--GPR partnership iPlace Lifescape Center, developed by Prospect Estates Limited, a joint investment between the Industrial Estates Authority of Thailand (IEAT) and Prospect Group of Companies, has cemented formal ties with a strategic partner, Technology Promotion Association (TPA), thereby strengthening “Learning” - one of the unique LIFESCAPE concepts. Uthai Juntima, Governor of IEAT, Dr. Bandhit Rojarayanont, Director of TPA (Thailand-Japan), and Praphan Angpanitcharoen, Managing Director of Prospect Estates Limited, signed the Memorandum of Understanding initiating the new strategic partnership agreement at a signing ceremony held at the Technology Promotion Association on August 30, 2007. The iPlace Lifescape Center community mall project is planned for industrial communities throughout Thailand and is being developed to help link industrial estates and nearby communities based on the concept “Enriching people Lifescape: Live.Love.Learn.Legacy” According to Uthai Juntima, Governor of IEAT, the major vision of IEAT is to create a stable and lasting industrial estate network for the nation and nearby communities, and also to enhance the skills and competencies of human resources within the industrial estates for the development of the Thai economy. In line with this vision, iPlace Lifescape Centers are being developed for industrial communities throughout the country, applying a networking concept to enhance the balance between business and social lifescape. “The initial project will be iPlace Lifescape Center —Lat Krabang. The industrial estate is now fully developed and there are over 45,000 employees in approximately 230 factories. A number of multinational enterprises have invested in the Lat Krabang industrial estate, including international companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Unilever, etc.” noted Uthai Juntima. At each iPlace a wide variety of day-to-day goods and services will be provided, such as a supermarket, fitness center, restaurants, office supplies providers, retail shops, banking and personal services, in addition to Business Center services. “Our Business Center service will be to provide professional training and seminars. Each year a number of employees in the industrial sector participate in a variety of training courses, such as instrumentation and calibration technology, accounting, taxes, languages, administration and management. These training courses consumes a lot of time, since training center are usually located quite some distance from industrial estates. Each iPlace Lifescape Center will be designed to be a single place for shopping, relaxing, meeting, socializing or even learning, near our customers’ homes or offices” said Praphan Angpanitcharoen, Managing Director of Prospect Estates. As a strategic partner, Technology Promotion Association (TPA) is a well established organization providing services that include arranging courses on technology, a language school and management seminars and training. “With TPA, IEAT and Prospect Estates are determined to enhance and develop the unlimited potential of people by offering a full variety of information and knowledge to targeted groups through various training and seminar programs” stated Dr. Bandhit Rojarayanont, Director of TPA. In addition to the huge market within the industrial estate, iPlace prospective customers will also include over 20,000 staff and students at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Lat Krabang and approximately 50,000 people in the surrounding communities within 3 km of the center. Praphan Angpanitcharoen added that future projects will also be developed at the Bang Poo, Leam Chabang and Bang Chan Industrial Estates, all under the iPlace Lifescape Center brand. A milestone in the history of the 3 signatories, IEAT, TPA and Prospect Estates celebrated the commencement of their formal collaboration. The MOU included cooperation on educational activities, training and seminars, information exchange and promoting knowledge to entrepreneurs and interested people, both within the industrial estate and nearby communities, for the better advancement of Thai industry and society. The cooperation agreement is a good example of a ‘win-win’ solution and of building synergies to the benefit of the communities concerned.About IEAT: The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) is a state enterprise under the Ministry of Industry and, in order to distribute industrial development to all regions, IEAT has currently developed and established over 35 industrial estates throughout Thailand.About TPA: The Technology Promotion Association (TPA) was officially established on 24 January 1973 with the strong intention, co-operation and sacrifice of the Japanese alumni and those who were trained in Japan with ABK and AOTS scholarships. The TPA mission is to be the centre for promoting knowledge, disseminating and transmitting new technology to Thai personnel for the growth and advancement of the Thai economy and industry.About Prospect Estates: Founded in 1991, Prospect has focused on being an innovative services provider and has expanded into passive investment in a number of retail and services companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and into active management and investment in the provision of outstanding innovative services to retailers, customers, consumers and the general public through the development of shopping and business center projects. For further information please contact: Ms. Suwanna Sriumnuaychai Ms.Waranya , Bussarin Prospect Estates Limited GPR partnership Tel: (662) 367-1222 # 117 Tel. 02 251 1918, 02 252 8223 Fax: (662) 381-5085 Fax. 02 252 8223 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]