AIS is continuing its efforts to support the upgrade of eSports by opening a space for eSports fans and hardcore gamers. They can level up their skills and show their abilities at eSports. Finally, they can graduate to Pro Players with a lucrative profession for the future. At latest AIS has entered into cooperation with the University Sports Board of Thailand (USBT), King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) and Thai Samsung Electronics to host AIS 5G eSports U-League 2020. This will be the biggest eSports event at the university level this year, bringing together gamer students from over 250 universities. It is the ultimate challenge for prizes totaling over 1 million baht. The competition will kick off on 7 November 2020.
Prof.Dr.Suchatvee Suwansawat President of KMITL and President of The University Sport Board of Thailand, said, ?KMITL is an institution focused on cutting-edge learning, and encouraging students to apply technology to learning. As KMITL celebrates its 60th anniversary, we are delighted to have been assigned by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) the duty of hosting 'AIS 5G eSports U-League 2020? in collaboration with the University Sports Board of Thailand (USBT) and many other large organizations from both government and private sectors. We will be opening a space for students around the country with a passion for eSports, bringing them together for practice, self-development and realizing their unlimited potential. This is because we at KMITL believe that 'Thai youth are not inferior to any other country in the world?.?
Prof.Dr.Suchatvee continued, ?The University Sports Board of Thailand (USBT) is fully on board to promote the participation of students nationwide in all kinds of sport, because exercise promotes health, and benefits the brain both in terms of memory and creative ideas, as well as reducing stress. The Covid-19 pandemic has made organizing sports events more difficult because of social distancing measures. However, USBT still gives priority to encouraging youth to play sports and express themselves creatively. This is why we have turned to fully promoting eSports. The players learn sportsmanship, teamwork and optimizing their thought processes, and they have been given a space to showcase their talents.?
Ms.Benjaporn Kamphet, Head of Special Segment & Prepaid Section at AIS, noted, ?Sports competitions are another activity helping to develop Soft Skills, from the perspective of instilling awareness of passion and unity among students, on top of the technical knowledge or Hard Skills which they get in the classroom. This also encourages networking between students to incubate their intelligence and wisdom, as well as providing new professional opportunities in the modern world.
?However, the pandemic crisis this year has resulted in University games being adapted to be online competitions of eSports, the digital Sports of the new generation, as a singular sport for competition. Aside from the enjoyment of the players, they also develop skills and competence in strategic analysis or Critical Thinking, which is fully in line with modern lifestyles, alongside new professional opportunities in the digital world.
?AIS, as a provider of Digital Infrastructure, is up to speed with both wireless networks and home internet to meet the particular needs of eSports players. We have previously given creative space for Thai youth to hone their skills and showcase their abilities in eSports at both the national and the international level, for instance, at AIS eSports Thailand Campus Championship 2020 seasons 1 and 2, and the PVP eSports Community Championship. We have also sponsored the Thai national eSports team to compete at the Southeast Asian Games 2019, at which they won the gold medal. AIS has also launched the AIS eSports STUDIO as the first eSports hub in Southeast Asia at Samyan Mitrtown. It is an eSports community for young people and the general public to practice their skills and learn from professionals. There are even special privileges for customers of ZEED SIM and U-ZEED of free first-time membership worth 100 baht, or being able to try out games at the AIS eSports STUDIO for free on Fridays, for a period of 60 minutes, every month.
?AIS is now delighted to be working with the University Sports Board of Thailand, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang and Samsung Electronics to organize the AIS 5G eSports U-League 2020, with KMITL as host. AIS, the number one Thai provider of Digital Infrastructure, is an enthusiastic partner, and we believe that the event this year will be different, and will meet the needs of sports contests in the New Normal.?
AIS 5G eSports U-League 2020 is taking applications from student teams to compete in three popular games: FIFA ONLINE4, MINECRAFT and ROV, from now until 31 October 2020. The teams which have passed the selection process to compete will be announced on 6 November 2020. The competition itself will start in earnest and 100% online from 7 - 19 November 2020. The final will be held in an On-Ground format on 23-24 November 2020 at AIS eSports STUDIO, the first eSports community hub in Southeast Asia, deploying Digital Infrastructure to support the competition.
