Thailand Takes Lead as ASEAN’s Robotics Champion

Bangkok (Thailand) – October 29, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Ministry of Science and Technology, with support from Mahidol University, N.C.C. International Events Co., Ltd. (NCCIE) the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB,) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA,) has formally announced that Thailand will host the RoboCup 2021in Bangkok in June 2021. The event is expected to firmly establish Thailand as the ASEAN’s robotics & automation leader.

Said Dr. Suvit Maesincee, Minister of Science and Technology: “RoboCup 2021 is a mega event with a direct link to one of Thailand 4.0’s target industries and the Thai government is pleased to support it, as will the Ministry of Science and Technology, TCEB and all other relevant government agencies. I would like to congratulate Mahidol University and N.C.C. International Events for successfully bidding to organize such a big international robot competition. The event will contribute to Thailand’s human-resource development, with Thais expected to bring their innovative robots on par with international standards, while also enabling an exchange of academic knowledge from foreign robotics experts to Thailand, creating opportunities for experience.”

NCCIE, the main organizer, has been largely instrumental in ensuring that the bid for RoboCup 2021 was won by Thailand. The company has successfully organized key events in the Kingdom over many years and has a team of established stalwarts who bring their considerable experience as well as expertise together in making sure that the coordination is smooth and harmonious. Mr. Sakchai Pattarapreechakul, Managing Director of N.C.C. International Events Co., Ltd. elaborated that: “RoboCup 2021 will be another mega event in Thailand thanks to the collaboration between the government, the private sector and a leading educational institute. All of us have leveraged our expertise and our network to ensure that RoboCup 2021 Bangkok, Thailand will be successful. It will also be a forum whereby entrepreneurs and academics in the fields of robotics, automation, industrial robots and service robots can meet.”

Dr. Janekrishna Kanatharana, Executive Vice President of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), stated that: “The robotics industry will play a crucial role in driving Thai industries in line with the Thailand 4.0 strategy. Undeniably, the demand for industrial robots has already been growing significantly in the face of labor shortage and intensifying business competitions. The RoboCup 2021 will be a boost to the development of human resources for the robotics field, which supports the ARIPOLIS (the research and innovation hub of automation systems, robotics, and smart systems) in the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovations (EECI.”)

According to Assistant Professor Dr. Jackrit Suthakorn, Dean of Mahidol University’s Faculty of Engineering and the chair of the organizing committee for RoboCup 2021 Bangkok, Thailand: “The founding ambition is to ensure a robot soccer team will be able to beat the World Cup champion by 2050, based on rules set by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association.) In pursuit of that goal, RoboCup has created several leagues that in turn build collaborative networks for the exchange of academic robotics knowledge among educational and research institutes across the world. The competition now attracts more than 3,000 participants from 45 countries annually to its two main categories: the RoboCup Junior League, which is for contestants aged no more than 19 years and the RoboCup Major League, which is for contestants aged 19 and above.”

The RoboCup Federation has chosen Thailand as the host of RoboCup 2021 because of the country’s potential; the Kingdom hosted the RoboCup Asia-Pacific earlier in December 2017, which saw more than 1,500 contestants from 14 nations across the world. Moreover, Thailand has been a regular participant in the RoboCup competitions, winning several awards from the RoboCup Federation. “RoboCup 2021 also promises to provide guidelines on how to efficiently integrate robotics to manufacturing, tourism, agricultural, service, medical, education and entertainment industries,” added Suthakorn.

Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, Vice President, Strategic and Business Development, TCEB, was of the opinion that mega or world-class events rank among economic drivers that deliver tangible benefits. “With regard to RoboCup 2021, we have worked with Mahidol University and N.C.C. International Events in bidding for the right to organize this mega event in Thailand and we have integrated collaboration from all relevant government agencies in support of the event. The event will be a boost not just for industries related to smart devices, robots, and automation for Thailand 4.0’s new economy goal, but also to the tourism industry, since general tourists as well as experts in the field of robotics and automation are expected to visit,” she stated.

“We are determined to organize more events for robotics and automation in the future. We intend to hold such events on a regular basis so as to make Thais’ robotics abilities internationally recognized and present Thailand as ASEAN’s robotics leader,” concluded NCCIE’s Pattarapreechakul.

For more information, please contact N.C.C. International Events at 0 2229 3353 or email napat.mi@qsncc.com or visit our website at www.nccthailand.com