The 12th Rolex Awards for Enterprise ceremony - covering 2005 - will be held in Singapore in October and will mark the 30th anniversary of this biennial awards programme.

The number of entries from Thailand has doubled. Malaysia's entries grew by 82 per cent, compared to 57 per cent for Indonesia and 50 per cent for Singapore. Overall, entries for the region grew by 70 per cent compared to 2004.

The Rolex Awards for Enterprise recognise individuals whose innovative, life-enhancing projects have a major impact on humanity. The awards recognise five key areas: Science and Medicine, Technology and Innovation, Exploration and Discovery, the Environment, and Cultural Heritage.

Five winners - or laureates - each receive a gold Rolex chronometer and US$100,000 (Bt3.9 million) to fund new or ongoing work and assist in the completion of outstanding initiatives rather than rewarding past achievements. Up to five associate laureates are also selected and receive a cash prize and a steel-and-gold Rolex chronometer.

The 2004 Rolex Awards saw Thailand's first Rolex Awards winner: environmentalist Pisit Charn-snoh. Pisit became an associate laureate for his work in preventing the endangered dugong from extinction by involving coastal communities in conservation projects to restore its habitat.

Commenting on the growth in entries from Thailand, Pisit said: "Thais are well known for their caring nature and, for me, it is so inspiring to discover that so many of my fellow countrymen are taking action to change something they are passionate about. The award provides winners with the financial support and confidence to realise their dream. I genuinely hope to see another Thai join me on the list of Rolex Laureates."

Rebecca Irvin, head of the Rolex Awards Secretariat, said: "This is the 12th series of this biennial programme launched in 1976 and it is encouraging to find that the spirit of enterprise is still very much alive throughout the world. Year after year, it is an honour for Rolex to make a contribution to helping individuals to realise their vision. The leap in the number of entries from Thailand alone demonstrates that the drive to better the world we live in is at the forefront of the Thai people's minds."