PHUKET is to be projected as a base for software innovation during the Asia Oceania Regional Software Park Forum 2009 on the island from October 8 to October 10.

To be held at the same time, the IT Architect Regional Conference Thailand will focus on software architecture and include ''world-class IT architect gurus.'' More than 500 are expected to attend, the promoters say.

Software Park Alliance has chosen Phuket as the location to ''pave way for Phuket to compete in an international arena.''.

Suwipa Wanasathop, Director of Software Park Thailand, and the president of the Asia Oceania Regional Software Park Alliance, said that the forum had the support of the Software Industry Promotion Agency (Sipa).

Promoters anticipate that about 300 participants from Software Parks, related public and private sectors, software entrepreneurs, investors, consultants, and 100 trading representatives from more than 10 countries will attend.

The seminar will ''present a major international meeting venue for software professionals, which will become a point of focus for the region's software business to use Phuket's fundamental structure and Thailand's potential to develop their business with support in terms of resource from several organisations.''

Activities in the forum will combine academic seminars, meetings and keynote addresses, an exhibition of technology and services, and business discussions,

The Asia Oceania Regional Software Park Forum 2009 is described as the ''largest gathering of the regional software network for 2009.''

Sipa director Rungruang Limchoopatipa said that The Asia Oceania Regional Software Park Forum 2009 and IT Architect Regional Conference Thailand 2009 are part of the plan to establish Phuket as a world software centre, especially in terms of research and development.

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