The SET and Thammasat University

to host

Asia Moot Corp 2009 new venture competition

Bangkok, March 5^th, 2008 – The Stock Exchange of Thailand, Thammasat University and key business partners will hold Asia’s premier business plan competition, “THAMMASAT ASIA MOOT CORP 2009” on March 10-12, 2009 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok. 

      This year marks the fourth year that the competition will be held in Thailand, bringing together 12 teams from leading business schools across Asia to compete for prizes worth more than USD 17,500 (about 600,000 baht) in total.  Further, the winning team is eligible to participate in the highly prestigious Global Moot Corp business plan competition held at the University of Texas at Austin in the US. 

      Asia Moot Corp is one of the largest and most recognized business plan competitions.  This is the fifth year the competition is being held in Thailand, which highlights our enthusiasm, motivation and commitment to business education and entrepreneurship which align to key SET mission to enhance and strengthen the foundation for future financial markets even amidst global financial turmoil and worsening economic condition.  These factors have led to the University of Texas and Global Moot Corp giving us the honor to maintain the hosting of Asia’s premier business plan competition,” said Mr. Pakorn Malakul Na Ayudhya, Chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, which is co-hosting the event.

      This year, 12 teams from 9 countries, including China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Hawaii (USA) representing Asia’s top business schools will compete.  Thammasat University and Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration are the institutions representing Thailand at this year’s competition. 

      The excitement starts from the very outset of the program “60-Second Elevator Pitch” competition.  Then over the course of the competition the participating teams will fight their way through panels of business-leader judges from across the region in order to win the golden opportunity to compete in the Global Moot Corp in the US,” said Professor Dr. Surapol Nitikraipot, Rector, Thammasat University, the host of the competition. 

       The winner of the global competition takes home a prize worth $100,000 and will ring the opening bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in New York.  But the most important thing is the opportunity to meet with international investors which is crucial in turning a great business plan into a great business” added Dr. Surapol.

       In recent years, two Thai teams proved to be very successful in the competition.  The ‘Idyllife’ team from Thammasat University won the Global Moot Corp in 2005 and had the honor of ringing the opening bell at the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.  Then the ‘Power Prawn’ team, also from Thammasat, took the 1^st runner up at Global Moot Corp in 2007, and in the course of the competition their project was noticed by investors who ultimately funded the project – making their business dream a reality.

      Business people, entrepreneurs, academics and students interested in attending the competition can call for information at tel 02 652 6239 or visit www.asiamootcorp.org.

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For media information, please contact

Sribenja or Satida

Aziam Burson-Marsteller

Tel 02 252 9871

e-mail: sribenja.s@abm.co.th