Narayana Murthy is mentor to Infosys

Mr Murthy is chief mentor to India's largest software firm and has been instrumental in the firm's growth.

Speaking at a conference in Bangkok, Mr Thaksin said he hoped to tap Mr Murthy's abitility to develop Thailand's IT capabilities.

And he praised the way Mr Murthy had created one of the world's top software firms in just a few years and his efforts to make Bangalore into the Silicon Valley of Asia.

Banking hopes

Infosys says it has identified Thailand as a key target marget for their global banking solutions package.

"Thailand is one of the major countries in the Asia-Pacific region poised for tremendous economic growth and transformation," Mr Narayana said.

Thailand has dedicated the first 10 years of the third millennium to developing its IT sector.