In March 2014, Microsoft Thailand, and its partners the Phuket provincial office and the National Council for Children and Youth Development (NCYD), held a graduation ceremony in Phuket, Thailand, for 200 students who have just completed Tech Training to Help Extend Youth Empowerment Space, (THE YES) programme.

“We believe that education is the single most important investment in the future of nations, communities and individuals, and Microsoft will continue to invest in education in Thailand for many more years to come.”

- Haresh Khoobchandani, Managing Director, Microsoft Thailand

THE YES programme was jointly developed by the three organisations in response to the opportunity gap, or disparity in access to quality educational resources needed for children to be academically successful. Under the programme, information technology (IT) skills training will be provided in cities across Thailand to educators and students where they will learn about the latest technology trends, and participants will obtain certification. Participants are expected to transfer their newly acquired knowledge by teaching what they’ve learned to their peers at school and other members of their communities. The project is expected to be implemented in 25 schools and universities.

Chalermrat Ploykao who received a certificate for completing THE YES programme, said, “I have always wanted to be a graphic designer. Through the programme, I have learnt how to develop various marketing materials and design them with just Microsoft Word, which I’m very familiar with. My IT teachers have been tasking me to help my classmates. I’m also teaching what I’ve learnt to my school’s IT club members.”


THE YES programme is one of several under Microsoft Thailand’s delivery of the company’s global YouthSpark initiative; the other programmes are Partners in Learning, Imagine Cup, DreamSpark and BizSpark, which collectively have benefited over 10 million students and teachers thus far.

Haresh Khoobchandani, Managing Director of Microsoft Thailand, explained the company’s vision, saying, “Microsoft Thailand is deeply committed to supporting a holistic transformation of learning that makes a real impact on educational outcomes. We believe that education is the single most important investment in the future of nations, communities and individuals, and Microsoft will continue to invest in education in Thailand for many more years to come.”

Office 365 includes anywhere access to web-based versions of the Office tools you know, plus professional email, web conferencing, file sharing and more. Microsoft provides Office 365 to qualifying nonprofits as a donation through its software donation programme.

Here are our top ten tips for implementing Office 365 successfully.

Remember, it is always worth having an expert available who understands your specific circumstances to help with a smooth transition and can ensure your staff is brought up-to-speed and is working efficiently and as quickly as possible.

1. Explain the benefits to staff and support them to make the change; local ‘champions’ or a ‘train the trainer’ approach can help staff to make the most of the new features.
2. Make effective use of OneDrive for offline file access – it is a wonderful tool that allows staff on the road to work easily and effectively as well as eliminating worries about the Internet connection going down.
3. Ensure your Internet bandwidth and reliability is suitable – Office 365 will place an additional load on your Internet connection.
4. Consider upgrading Office on your PCs – it is available very cost effectively through your local TechSoup partner.
5. Use an Office 365 expert to make the transition a success, and to assist with ongoing support if required. Look for a Microsoft partner that is familiar with Office 365.
6. Consider local storage if you share large videos or quantities of photos to ensure your Internet bandwidth isn’t consumed by these files.
7. Review your security controls and policies. Storing information in the Cloud has a huge productivity benefit, but it also means your security controls my need to be revised.
8. Add Active Directory, which can still offer value for organisations with a large number of computers.
9. Purchase headsets to minimise potential issues during video and audio conferencing by reducing noise in an open plan environment.
10. Provide online collaboration spaces, which can be valuable for your board members or volunteers, helping them feel truly part of the organisation.

To find out more about Microsoft’s Office 365 donation programme, please visit our Corporate Citizenship page here. 

As part of the global Microsoft initiative YouthSpark, Microsoft Thailand has been running a programme called ‘Enhancing ICT Skills of Small Medium Enterprises in ASEAN to help build the capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to put them in a better position to capture opportunities through technology. By using the Internet, social media and cloud computing, they can enjoy more cost-effective methods of working and increasing sales to better compete against bigger players that have traditionally wielded the most clout over resources and markets.



Kridsda Pinta, a young man from the northern Thai province of Chiang Mai, took time off to tell us how his web development training is helping him manage his family’s homestay business, Huai Pu Mai.

Hi, Kridsda, could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, I’m 24 years old and have just graduated from Maejo University. I’m the oldest child in my family, with a younger brother and sister, and we live in the Mae Rim district of Chiang Mai. I enjoy art and entertainment.

Can you tell us more about your business?
Due to the lush nature and abundance of cultural attractions here, Chiang Mai has come to be known as the Rose of the North. Even as the political situation has been undermining the tourism industry in Bangkok, the market outlook remains positive for Chiang Mai. Analysts predict greater visitor volume in the coming years with the completion of more infrastructure projects.

Because of the steady volume of international and domestic tourism, my family saw a viable opportunity to start a homestay business near the mountains where we live. By staying with my family, tourists and business travelers are able to learn more about our culture, while having the chance to be immersed in nature—and all at a reasonable rate.

What challenges have you been facing in operating your homestay?
Unfortunately, our business has not been able to tap into Chiang Mai’s tourism success.

Our main challenge has been in attracting guests. We have been relying on brochures and flyers as our main tools to promote our service, and would leave them in the airport and other locations with a large volume of tourists. There is intense competition in the hospitality industry and we have not been able to rack up the guest numbers.

In addition, our resort is located about 40 kilometres from the city centre and up on the hill Huai Pu Mai; this makes it impossible for walk-ins.



What did you learn at the web development workshop organised under the programme “Enhancing ICT Skills of Small Medium Enterprises in ASEAN”?
I learnt how to create a blog for the first time. It’s powered by WordPress, so the interface is intuitive and user-friendly. I like that the layout is similar to a website, making it look polished and professional. I have also learnt how to maximise Facebook functionalities for corporate use. With the increased web presence, potential customers are able to find information about our homestay more easily and I am now able to engage with them online, as well as with repeat customers and referrals.

How have technology and the Internet benefitted you and your business?
As we run a small family business, we do not have the financial resources for extensive marketing and advertising. WordPress, being free, is a cost-effective way of reaching a global audience. Now that we have some form of web presence, it is easier for me to join other information and booking channels. It also frees up the time I would have spent on sales and advertising, for managing the homestay instead. What’s more, WordPress is so easy to use!