Date : 22/8/2005

This past Friday a group of Thai student entrepreneurs from Thammasat’s Master in Marketing program had the honor of ringing the NASDAQ opening bell. Each day at 9:30 am the NASDAQ MarketSite hosts some of the world's most prestigious business leaders to preside over the Market Open, which is broadcast live across the globe on numerous stations such as CNBC, Bloomberg, BBC, Reuters, CNN Headline News.

The full ceremony was also seen throughout New York’s Time’s Square on the NASDAQ’s 7 story electronic screen where the Thammasat team had the opportunity to introduce its new venture to the business community around the world. The ceremony concluded when Pitinapa Rakchaiwan offered opening remarks about the new Thai based venture, Idyll Life, and signed the company name that was illuminated across the NASDAQ tower in Time’s Square.

NASDAQ is the largest electronic screen-based equity securities market in the United States. With approximately 3,300 companies, it lists more companies and, on average, trades more shares per day than any other U.S. market. It is home to category-defining companies that are leaders across all areas of business including technology, retail, communications, financial services, transportation, media and biotechnology industries.

Earlier this year Thammasat’s Idyll Life team won the Global MOOT CORP Competition at The University of Texas at Austin. Idyll Life Co. aims to Market Pure Lite, a high grade, all natural, zero calorie sweetener to food manufacturers. The Global MOOT CORP Competition is an MBA New Venture competition that brings graduate students from all populated continents to Austin to compete for over $200,000 in prizes including a $100,000 investment. This year more than 40 teams representing 30 universities in 10 countries competed. The plans are judged by panels consisting of VCs, Entrepreneurs, CEOs, Attorneys, and Accountants.

The team members comprise of:
1. Miss Pitinapa Rakchaiwan
2. Miss Pornpan Wisidwutikul
3. Miss Wanwipa Teerasopon
4. Mr. Twipat Tesprateep
5. Mr. Suttipan Sutas Na Ayuthya

and all of whom have just graduated from the Master’s Degree Program in Marketing, Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University in August this year. The Idyll Life project is moving ahead rapidly under the supervisor of Mr. Bill Randall the team’s advisor.

www.nasdaq.com/reference/200508/market_open_081905.stm www.nasdaq.com/reference/hiresphotos/mo_081905_hires.jpg