Make the most of your mobile phone

The competition aims at searching for new software developers and to serve as a stage for university students to present their ideas.

"Currently, the market value for mobile-application downloads in Thailand is between Bt200 million and Bt300 million. But only 10 per cent of these downloadable contents are made locally," says Pratthana Leelapanang, assistant vice-president of Wireless Service Marketing for AIS.

"There is still plenty of space for the mobile-content download market to grow, not just in Thailand but all over the world. The contest will give young Thai software developers a path for the future."

Before the submission deadline, the Software Industry Promotion Association (SIPA) and Thailand Game Association (TGA) will be holding a free workshop on software-developing skills.

"The workshop will focus on two points," says Permbun Aimsupasit, Thailand Game Software Association's president. "The first is creating a software and the second is knowledge about the mobile-content business and the nature of the consumer."

The contest is divided into two categories - mobile-application software and interactive web-business software - while participants are divided into two levels, students and the public.

Participants can apply in teams of three or less, and each team can submit more than one topic.

It is required that none of the entries be used for commercial purposes after the competition, though the developer will still own the copyright.

The winner gets Bt100,000 in cash, while first and second runners up get Bt50,000 and Bt10,000 respectively.

Deadline for applications is November 23.

Watchara Saengsrisin

The Nation