Thailand aims to become Asia-Pacifc hub for the space industry

[rooster59]

Image: United Launch Alliance photo - file photo

 

Thailand has embarked on an ambitious plan to be at the forefront of the space travel industry for the Asia-Pacific region.

 

Earlier this week, officials from Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) met with their counterparts from Sweden’s Space Corporation (SSC) and Jon Åström Gröndahl, Swedish Ambassador to Thailand, to outline collaboration plans in the development of space technology.

 

According to Manager, Sweden is the largest foreign investor in Thailand’s burgeoning space programme having already developed the satellite ground station located at the Space Krenovation Park near Laem Chabang.

 

The SSC will help Thailand with such things as satellite operations, rocket and balloon systems, launch services and also provide expertise in aerospace engineering.

 

The meeting earlier this week also enabled Thai officials to show off the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and how the eastern region of Thailand will become a high tech base for a wide variety of businesses and industries, including those involved in aerospace and space technology.

 

This isn’t the first time Thailand’s lofty ambitions regarding space travel have been touted.

 

Last year and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Dr Anek Laothamatas, said that Thailand will launch its own space program and that within seven years, the Thai government will have built its own spacecraft.

 

“Thailand will be the fifth nation in Asia that will be able to build a spacecraft and send it to orbit the moon,”  Dr Anek said. 
 
“The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation and the Thai government will move forward for the future of our country. The project will forever change the whole perspective of Thai people that Thailand is no longer a developing country but is a country with a future, opportunity, and hope.”

 

However, the plans were met with fierce criticism from the Thai public who said the government should be focussing its efforts on pressing matters, such as the economic recovery post COVID-19.
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-26

 

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[Thaiwrath]

The government is full of spacemen !

[Crossy]

Space Hub - Indeed, sadly it's the collective space between the ears of certain persons.

[PatOngo]

Ground control to Major Som

Your circuits dead

There's something wrong

Can you hear me Major Som?

Can you hear me Major Som?

[YetAnother]

11 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand has embarked on an ambitious plan to be at the forefront of the space travel industry

thais do so few things right that this is a really spacey idea; they have great difficulty even governing themselves

[djayz]

It's been a while since we've had a story about a hub.

 

I can just imagine astronaut Somchai explaining how the brakes failed, causing him to collide with another space craft / satellite. 

[PatOngo]

4 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

thais do so few things right that this is a really spacey idea; they have great difficulty even governing themselves

They are good at providing a feed or a ***k, not much else, they should leave space to others! 

[misterjames]

 

 

[thequietman]

Hub, hubity hub hub.

 

Thailand the *&**##   hub of everything!  ????

[mikebell]

In a country where maintenance of anything with moving parts is unheard of!  Checks on vehicle roadworthiness are mandatory every SEVEN years (if Somchai can remember when he bought it).

[Boomer6969]

????????????????????????

 

Just wet meself, gotto dash to the dunny.

[Bkk Brian]

A country that has no idea how to drive safely on the roads yet but wants to be let loose on rockets in space, can't wait!! I can see all the alien UFO dashing back to their solar systems on the news of this.

[rabas]

On its 1025th hub announcement, Thailand officially became the world's first hub hub.

 

Alien:  "Where are your hubs?"

Earthling: "Thailand."

 

[Pattaya Spotter]

Should be completely doable...seeing how Thailand consistently ranks last in English proficiency, the language of science, among Asia Pacific nations. (It's because they were never colonized...so they say.)

[Nobbie49]

3 hours ago, djayz said:

It's been a while since we've had a story about a hub.

 

I can just imagine astronaut Somchai explaining how the brakes failed, causing him to collide with another space craft / satellite. 

Not really, my wife’s car was rear ended by Somchai last week.  No prizes for guessing what his excuse was

[djayz]

1 minute ago, Nobbie49 said:

Not really, my wife’s car was rear ended by Somchai last week.  No prizes for guessing what his excuse was

Hope your wife didn't sustain any serious injuries. 

Brake failure? 

[Oldie]

Yes - it is time to open a bar on the space station. Poor guys there.

[fondue zoo]

I think China's space plans may be a problem for their hub.

[Forrests Father]

First tests have already started 

[RubbaJohnny]

Walk before run .

Suggest they fix pavement for walkers

An intefrated rail policy wheretrains don't fall over and gurded gated crssings

Today reports 2 dearhs per hour and half motor cyclists unlicensed

For bus travellers , Shaded waiting areas with accurate maps and timetables , with GPS can show exact time of next service.

Well maintained  Pavements not obstructed by awnings, advetrs and wires accesible to wheelchaires and strollers.

An airline wihout corruption an airport with enough restrooms before space ?

An army that can control frontiers as well as governments.

These are a few of my favourite moans.

[djayz]

3 hours ago, misterjames said:

 

 

To boldly go where no tuk tuk has gone before. 

[Smilermike]

Lmao.

[Litlos]

The government is full of space cadets, so hopefully this is where the astronaut pool is sourced from, mind you a bit of chlorine in that pool would not go astray.  So if one plastic tube rocket goes one kilometre high, then five tied together will go five kilometres high, obviously. Anutin on top of 150 plastic tube rockets, hey Somchai light the blue touch paper and run!

 

Cheers

[Justgrazing]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

officials from Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) met with their counterparts from Sweden’s Space Corporation (SSC)

 

Give the Swede's some space they'll get the gist this is not a good IKEA soon enough ..

[KannikaP]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

In a country where maintenance of anything with moving parts is unheard of!  Checks on vehicle roadworthiness are mandatory every SEVEN years (if Somchai can remember when he bought it).

No, it's every year after seven.

[shady86]

Sounds more like a hub of delusionists growing desperate trying to mend a failed state 

[rabas]

They already have rockets, just need bigger PVC tubes.

 

[bondi]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

In a country where maintenance of anything with moving parts is unheard of!  Checks on vehicle roadworthiness are mandatory every SEVEN years (if Somchai can remember when he bought it).

After seven years and yearly thereafter 

[Geoffggi]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand has embarked on an ambitious plan to be at the forefront of the space travel industry for the Asia-Pacific region.

Well there are certainly many "Space Cadets" in the government to choose from ...................LOL

[kingstonkid]

6 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Ground control to Major Som

Your circuits dead

There's something wrong

Can you hear me Major Som?

Can you hear me Major Som?

No because he can't read the manual and there are no pictures