Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a leader in health supplements under the BRAND'S trademark, has signed a three-year MOU with the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University. The partnership aims to enhance the curriculum by focusing on practical learning, internships, and academic projects addressing real-world business challenges. The signing took place at Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy.
Natthanicha Worawannaseth, Senior Vice President of Corporate Functions at Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) and Indochina Co., Ltd., highlighted that the company's value of "Giving Back to Society" and its sustainability priority of improving the Thai population's health and well-being, it gives high importance on educational development as a foundation for the new generation's success in the professional world, which is critical to future growth of Thailand's economy and society. This dedication resulted in the signing of the MOU, aiming to combine the academic excellence of Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy with the business acumen and professionalism of Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand), a market leader in Asia's health supplements.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somchai Supattarakul, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University, shared that "Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, a prominent institution in accounting and business administration, perceives this partnership to be crucial for student preparation by promoting experiential learning from business executives and private sector institutions. The partnership's objective is to combine theoretical knowledge gained from classrooms with practical skills and experiences. Furthermore, it seeks to motivate students by allowing them to work closely alongside company employees and engage in dialogues with top executives on current business perspectives. It also promotes various types of cooperation, aiming to enhance students' business acumen and experiential learning, leading to the creation of high-quality human resources in business administration and accounting for the mutual success of the education and private sectors, in line with the vision 'To cultivate future leaders who sustainably shape ASEAN business."
The company's internship program typically selects students in their penultimate or final year of undergraduate or graduate studies. Internships, lasting four months during an academic term, are provided in a variety of departments, including Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Research and Development, Supply Chain, and Sales. They will be reviewed based on their academic performance, relevant coursework, skills and competencies, and an interview process.
According to a survey on the population's unemployment rate conducted by the National Statistical Office, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, there were 379,000 unemployed people in June 2024, representing an unemployment rate of 0.9%, a decrease of 103,000 people from 482,000 people in May 2024. Higher education graduates had the highest unemployment rate of 139,000 people, followed by upper secondary and vocational graduates with 72,000 people and, lastly, lower secondary graduates with 55,000 people.
Aiming to lead in educational advancement, the company has partnered with several institutions to support a broad student base. Key collaborations include an MOU with Thammasat University and participation in the Annual Business Administration Advisory Board Meeting at Mahidol University International College (MUIC). The latter focuses on aligning business education with industry needs and incorporating innovations like AI technology.
