Microsoft (Thailand), the local arm of the world's largest software company, has collaborated with Dusit International to enhance the skills development of tourism and hospitality workers through the use of digital technology.
A shortage of skilled workers plagues Thailand's hotel industry, which needs an estimated 100,000 new staff each year.
Even with up to 40,000 graduate students joining the tourism industry each year, the supply cannot support the burgeoning sector, especially in major destinations such as Phuket.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand aims for the number of foreign tourists to reach 28 million this year, generating an estimated 1.35 trillion baht in revenue, up from 24.77 million visitors last year.
"Tourism is a crucial industry as it contributes about 10% to the country's GDP," said Chanin Donavanik, chief executive of Dusit International, the Bangkok-based hotel and resort company.
The company is spending 300 million baht to open a hospitality vocational school, expanding its presence further from its existing Dusit Thani College and Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School.
The hospitality school, which is expected to open in August, will teach the fundamentals of hotel management and guest services ranging from housekeeping to reception, chef assistant and bartender.
"We aim to produce up to 4,000 graduate students each year," said Mr Chanin.
He said the school would use technologies for teaching under a paperless classroom concept.
Haresh Khoobchandani, managing director of Microsoft (Thailand), said the school would present new ways to all learners to experience new global hospitality educational systems in a digital learning platform.
The school will use Microsoft's Office 365 for education purposes, cloud-based productivity tools and Windows-based tablets, he added.
Mr Chanin also said Dusit aimed to open schools for both vocational and university levels in nine countries within two years.
The first expansion will be in the Philippines with an investment of 1 billion baht.
Dusit expects education business to account for 20% of its revenue by 2017, up from 10% this year when revenue is expected to reach 500 million baht.