Thailand Should Aim At Bridging Science And Technology Gap

[Jai Dee]

Dr.Yongyuth suggests Thailand should aim at bridging science and technology gap

The Minister of Science and Technology says Thailand has to diminish science and technology gap and expresses confidence that the new constitution will actively promote the roles of science and technology.

Minister of Science and Technology Dr.Yongyuth Yuthawong (ยงยุทธ ยุทธวงศ์) says during an academic seminar at Mahidol University that although there are much progress and rapid changes in science and technology in Thailand, there is still a gap in the society which means there are only some groups of people who can get access to science and technology. Dr.Yongyuth therefore suggests that the country should apply science and technology to bridge the gap and at the same time aim at developing itself to be able to compete with other developing countries in terms of technological advancement. In addition, he says Thailand should prepare itself for rules and regulations concerning science and technology set by the first world countries.

The minister adds that the new constitution can help develop science and technology by promoting innovations.

Meanwhile, Advisor to the Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Assoc.Dr.Sujet Jantharang (สุเจตน์ จันทรังษ์) says the ICT ministry has a plan to focus on the development of wireless communication in the next decade and use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in the three Southern border provinces. RFID tag will be attached to identification (ID) cards of those living in the provinces to provide information about the ID card holder to state officials.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 May 2007

[Mid]

Meanwhile, Advisor to the Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Assoc.Dr.Sujet Jantharang (สุเจตน์ จันทรังษ์) says the ICT ministry has a plan to focus on the development of wireless communication in the next decade and use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in the three Southern border provinces. RFID tag will be attached to identification (ID) cards of those living in the provinces to provide information about the ID card holder to state officials.

yowza ,

amongst other things RFD can provide real time tracking ............................

widely used in logistics operations eg FedEx .

[PhilHarries]

the ICT ministry has a plan to focus on the development of wireless communication in the next decade and use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in the three Southern border provinces. RFID tag will be attached to identification (ID) cards of those living in the provinces to provide information about the ID card holder to state officials.

Surely we already have wireless communication technology quite well advanced so, given that Thailand is not exactly starting on pole position, what new technology does he expect Thailand to develope that the world hasn't already got?

And as for the radio tracking id cards does he really expect that, if developed and issued to the people in the troubled south, the insurgents will be kind enough to carry them around while they go about their terror campaign?

Yet another politician speaking for the sake of speaking merely so folks think he is actually doing something.

Sheesh.

[jackmuu]

Like a dog looking at an aeroplane (to translate a Thai expression).

[Mid]

Like a dog looking at an aeroplane (to translate a Thai expression).

thanxs

mid

[wintermute]

Yet another politician speaking for the sake of speaking merely so folks think he is actually doing something.

Sheesh.

Don't worry in a few more years we'll see another electronics show with another IT minister complaining about how there are no "Thai products" on sale and that all foreign electronics are evil and unpatriotic.

[Dakhar]

U mean a constitution can create strides in Science and Technology?

Whew, if they had only done this years ago.... I wonder what portions of the US constitution brought America to the moon first?

[ercorn]

,"what new technology does he expect Thailand to develope that the world hasn't already got?"

A new system I know the Thai`s are working on in th IT world is to find out how much money a farang has in his wallet when they walk into a shop or restaurant.

[ThaiGoon]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/05/23...ss_30034922.php

Bt1.7-billion project for HDD sector

The government is expected to approve within a month a budget of Bt1.7 billion to develop the hard-disk drive industry.

Djitt Laowattana, an adviser to the Information and Communications Technology Ministry and president of the Institute of Field Robotics (Fibo), said yesterday the project had already passed a first Cabinet screening committee and would be proposed to a second screening committee tomorrow before being forwarded to the Cabinet for final approval.

Under the first part of the project, PhD graduates in robotics will be sent to the United States for 18 months to get first-hand experience at leading plants. Djitt has already approached Western Digital and Seagate and is negotiating with other companies including Fujitsu and Hitachi about taking the trainees. He plans to send 200 abroad during a five-year period.

Three research centres will be set up at Bangmod, Lat Krabang and Fibo to conduct joint studies with companies in Silicon Valley, starting with 80 topics. The aim is to demonstrate to those companies that Thailand has started to devote its energy to developing native technology industries.

Exchanges will be arranged between organisations and research institutes, while an undergraduate curriculum in magnetism will be put together.

[Scott]

Yes, this is a case of someone opening their mouth without engaging their brain.

First, it eludes me, as some other poster has mentioned, how on earth a constitution can bring about technological and scientific advancements. Secondly, given that they constantly either copy or re-invent the wheel (if only those dam*ed copyrights didn't exist they could get by with it), I don't see a lot of progress on the horizon.

Finally, most advances in science and technology are quite advanced these days. It's not a matter of one person in a lab with an idea. It's a lot of well-trained scientists putting complex theories to the test.

Best of luck, however.

[Prakanong]

If they can get the companies like Seagate to accept the Thai PHd graduates it will be a start.

Is this not an area where they have missed the boat so to speak though with the main players already committed to investing elsewhere in the region.

Its a start but up to 40 a year - how does that compare with competing economies and their PHd graduates going into HD research - it can not be looked at in a vacuum.

Any update on where Seagate invested the 1.3 billion?

"By Jonathan Hopfner, EE Times

11:09 AM EDT Fri. Aug. 18, 2006 PENANG, Malaysia — Asia will remain a vital part of hard disk drive maker Seagate's strategy despite a decision to shut some recently acquired plants in the region, executives said in recent (Aug. 11) conference calls.

Charles Pope, executive vice president and CFO, said the "vast majority" of the firm's planned $1.3 billion in capital investments for fiscal 2007 would be directed to iits operations in Asia, which include plants in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and China.

While the investments were not broken down by country, they include increased funding for process development of recording heads in Malaysia and a ramp at Seagate's Suzhou, China, factory. Also included is a new media production plant in Singapore, executive vice president and COO Dave Wickersham said.

"A defined plan is now in place, and Seagate will expand media production in Singapore near our current media facility," he said. Seagate expects to begin production at the new plant in the first half of 2008, Wickersham added. "

[Plus]

What about Wimax? If they get their act together they can cover the whole country with meshed Wimax at a fraction of the cost of laying fiberoptics, they can probably skip on 3G altogether.

[Prakanong]

This report is old and out of date now - anybody got anything more recent?

http://isic.ucsd.edu/thailandhdd.html

The industry in Thailand must have changed since this 1998 study - does anyone know where it stands today?

Look at the reasons for location - is it a better environment now, the same or worse?

"Since Seagate's initial 1983 investment in head-stack assembly, hard disk drive (HDD) production in Thailand has grown to become one of Thailand's major export industries and a major component of global production. This report first reviews the industry's basic features: its size, scope and depth, and evolution. The second section explores the factors accounting for the industry's growth and evolution. The paper's principal arguments are as follows:

Structure:

The Thai HDD structure contains three principal clusters, each of which involves many of the world's most significant disk drive firms: head-stack and finished drive assembly (Seagate, IBM and Fujitsu); head-related components such as sliders and suspensions (Read-Rite, KR Precision, and Magnecomp); and spindle motors and related components (Nidec and NMB/Minibea).

Position in Global Production Network:

Thai disk drive operations began largely as "hand-off" sites for products whose volume manufacture was perfected in Singapore. Subsequently, Thai operations themselves ramp-up volume production directly from Japan and the U.S. Thailand's product focus is becoming drives for mobile and desktop computers.

Reasons for Location:

Disk drive producers have come to Thailand due to a combination of generic factor costs, proximity, managerial networks, and follow-the-leader behavior. Typically, firms want to locate somewhere near clients and/or suppliers. But proximity can mean locating elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The choice of Thailand generally reflects a) an appreciation of the country's inexpensive and experienced labor and or its export-oriented tariff, taxes and infrastructure, and low search costs due to implicit signals from established producers that Thailand is a relatively low-cost, hassle free place to do business. Once established, firms value the existence of experienced personnel and some firms deepen their activities to include various kinds of process-related research. As wage rates have risen, there has been a departure of more clearly assembly-type operations (e.g. HGA) to cheaper labor areas such as the Philippines and China.

Weakness of Indigenous Supply Base:

Thailand's indigenous HDD supplier base is very shallow. Outside the foreign HDD and components producers, there are no firms providing the kinds of components or basic services, repair, clean rooms, or metal finishing, that one sees in Singapore and, to a lesser extent, Penang. To the degree that such goods and services, along with failure analysis and other types of production-related such as tooling, equipment research, are provided in Thailand, they are part of foreign firms' in-house operations. The Thai industry exhibits features of a "high technology enclave." A key question is whether locally based suppliers can develop the capacity for volume production integrating new technologies such as MR heads and TSA suspensions.

Mixed Governmental Performance:

The growth and the weaknesses of disk drive production in Thailand are in large part a reflection of the country's public policies and institutions. On the one hand, the government has facilitated ease of entry with a range of financial incentives, provided relatively good infrastructure and (until recently) a stable macroeconomic context. The Board of Investments (BoI) has not only supplied export-oriented incentives; it has also helped to resolve particular problems in areas such as labor relations and infrastructure shortages. On the other hand, public policies have not promoted an indigenous supplier base. The government's trade and investment regime has encouraged a dualistic structure in which the country's large number of local firms have failed to develop the kinds of capacities necessary for participation in HDD sourcing networks. Moreover, government efforts at vendor development , technical training, and collective technology development and diffusion within the industry have been either absent or ineffective. A combination of bureaucratic fragmentation, the dynamism of low-wage exports, and private sector ambivalence over any government involvement in technology development have undermined such efforts.

Impact of East Asian Crisis:

The impact of the East Asian crisis has been mixed. On the plus side, the Thai devaluation has reduced the cost (in dollar terms at least) of locally-sourced goods and services. But since the HDD industry uses primarily imported components, it benefits only from lower labor and operations costs. This has resulted in some relocation of labor-intensive operations from China to Thailand (by Seagate) and some expansion of process development in Thailand (Fujitsu). But for many firms, wages are not a significant percentage of total costs. Inflation has not yet risen to any great extent and wages are kept down by growing unemployment. The loosening of the labor market has significantly expanded the supply of technicians and engineers. The crisis has created what one firm called a three-year reprieve — a time to get one's house in order for the future. Finally, there is some evidence that the crisis is stimulating the Thai government towards more coherent and industry-specific policies designed specifically for upgrading. On the negative side, crisis may seriously affect demand for HDD products at the regional and global level (Fujitsu reports that one third of its disk drive sales are to Asia). It is believed that this factor is partly behind some recent closure HDD operations in Thailand, rather than the Thai crisis per se.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Prakanong

[Prakanong]

What about Wimax? If they get their act together they can cover the whole country with meshed Wimax at a fraction of the cost of laying fiberoptics, they can probably skip on 3G altogether.

I know nothing about the technology you speak of but I would say Thailand should go for a technological leap forward. Choose the right technology, develop its human capital in that area, make investment attractive and gain first mover advantage.

Not going to happen overnight but someone has to make the first step on any journey.

Edit - just read up on WIMAX - interesting

Edited May 23, 2007 by Prakanong

[Prakanong]

More up to date infor on the thai HDD Industry

http://www.business-in-asia.com/harddiskdrive_industry.html

This one is very interesting

http://www.nectec.or.th/2007/r-d/hdd.html

"Thailand is ranked to be the world's number one of HDD manufacturer. There are more than 100,000 workers employed by the industry and more than 400,000 million Baht worth for export values. However, there are other concerning factors to maintain Thailand status as the world's number one HDD production base, for example, competing with other developing countries such as, China and Malaysia to gain a larger share of HDD manufacturers. In addition, Thailand should focus on R&D in advanced technologies in HDD production and should develop facilities for supporting the growth of HDD industry in the future.

The strategic plan of HDD program is focusing on human resource development and technology capability development. These strategies will help strengthening investor's confidence in order to choose Thailand as the place for HDD production base instead of other developing countries (China and Malaysia). By doing that, we expect to gain more than 70,000 million Baht investment from international companies, especially in HDD up stream industry, such as Media platter and head-gimbal assemblies. More importantly, improving business investment will increase Thailand HDD export which can account for 850,000 million Baht by the year 2554, in other word, it will double the HDD export value compare with the present. As a result, it will increase more employment rate in this industry and Thailand could develop our own technologies for HDD production as well as reducing dependency on foreign technologies. If this strategic plan has been adopted, Thailand will move to advanced levels of electronic industry which creates more value and could generate a lot of revenue. In conclusion, the development of HDD industry will help to sustain Thailand's economy and increase our competitive advantages in HDD industry as other developed countries do."

Edited May 23, 2007 by Prakanong

[TokyoT]

Any update on where Seagate invested the 1.3 billion?

"By Jonathan Hopfner, EE Times

11:09 AM EDT Fri. Aug. 18, 2006 PENANG, Malaysia — Asia will remain a vital part of hard disk drive maker Seagate's strategy despite a decision to shut some recently acquired plants in the region, executives said in recent (Aug. 11) conference calls.

Charles Pope, executive vice president and CFO, said the "vast majority" of the firm's planned $1.3 billion in capital investments for fiscal 2007 would be directed to iits operations in Asia, which include plants in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and China.

While the investments were not broken down by country, they include increased funding for process development of recording heads in Malaysia and a ramp at Seagate's Suzhou, China, factory. Also included is a new media production plant in Singapore, executive vice president and COO Dave Wickersham said.

"A defined plan is now in place, and Seagate will expand media production in Singapore near our current media facility," he said. Seagate expects to begin production at the new plant in the first half of 2008, Wickersham added. "

Yes, they went to Singapore:

http://www.sedb.com/edb/sg/en_uk/index/new..._build_its.html

The article in this link even mentions the Aug announcement in your post.

[Prakanong]

Any update on where Seagate invested the 1.3 billion?

"By Jonathan Hopfner, EE Times

11:09 AM EDT Fri. Aug. 18, 2006 PENANG, Malaysia — Asia will remain a vital part of hard disk drive maker Seagate's strategy despite a decision to shut some recently acquired plants in the region, executives said in recent (Aug. 11) conference calls.

Charles Pope, executive vice president and CFO, said the "vast majority" of the firm's planned $1.3 billion in capital investments for fiscal 2007 would be directed to iits operations in Asia, which include plants in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and China.

While the investments were not broken down by country, they include increased funding for process development of recording heads in Malaysia and a ramp at Seagate's Suzhou, China, factory. Also included is a new media production plant in Singapore, executive vice president and COO Dave Wickersham said.

"A defined plan is now in place, and Seagate will expand media production in Singapore near our current media facility," he said. Seagate expects to begin production at the new plant in the first half of 2008, Wickersham added. "

Yes, they went to Singapore:

http://www.sedb.com/edb/sg/en_uk/index/new..._build_its.html

The article in this link even mentions the Aug announcement in your post.

Thanks for the link - I knew about the place at Woodlands but wondered how much a share went to each country - thanks again

Good job Thaigoon has not got all this material to post about Thailand - we would be inundated ;-)

http://www.edb.gov.sg/edb/sg/en_uk/index/n.../news/2006.html

http://www.edb.gov.sg/edb/sg/en_uk/index/n...news/20060.html

This bit is interesting though

"the same vein, Singapore is working to capture a larger share of the hard disk media market, and the country is faring well thus far. In 2005 alone, Singapore accounted for 25 per cent of the world's market share for the production and supply of hard disk drive media. Locally, the industry pumped in S$14 billion (US$8.8 billion), or some 20 per cent, to electronics output"

Then we have the statement from the NECTEC HDD Program director

""Thailand is ranked to be the world's number one of HDD manufacturer. There are more than 100,000 workers employed by the industry and more than 400,000 million Baht worth for export values."

I wonder what Thailands market share is if Singapores is 25%

Edited May 23, 2007 by Prakanong

[TokyoT]

It appears that Thailand and Singapore are neck and neck on the manufacturing side of things, and that the numbers get a bit blurry because of distinctions that can be made between say a HDD, and HD media. Singapore does appear to have a rather significant edge on the R&D side of things, and maybe that is something that will attempt to be addressed in the OP.

Interseting study from the Danish:

http://www.ambbangkok.um.dk/NR/rdonlyres/C...tryJune2006.pdf

From Singapore:

http://www.sedb.com/edb/sg/en_uk/index/new..._to_thrive.html

[Prakanong]

It appears that Thailand and Singapore are neck and neck on the manufacturing side of things, and that the numbers get a bit blurry because of distinctions that can be made between say a HDD, and HD media. Singapore does appear to have a rather significant edge on the R&D side of things, and maybe that is something that will attempt to be addressed in the OP.

Interseting study from the Danish:

http://www.ambbangkok.um.dk/NR/rdonlyres/C...tryJune2006.pdf

From Singapore:

http://www.sedb.com/edb/sg/en_uk/index/new..._to_thrive.html

Thanks for the links

The Danish publication says Singapore is the biggest but it may use different measures or time period than the Thai guy - if they are that close it os often the time or the way its measured that is the difference - I can remember this from my mobile phone days.

Thailand needs to keep on top of this industry given its strategic relevance to the economy - investment and who gets the new technology (solid disk drives etc) over the coming years will be interesting.

[dkstoney]

What they're really saying is that it will make it easier to STEAL more advanced technology therefore increasing the profits in their already profitable piracy industry.

[astral]

The minister talked about Science and Technology,

but now we are talking about HDD manufacturing.

These are not the same.

How much original, or leading edge research goes on in Thailand?

Very little I suspect.

Does Thailand encourage small startup companies to exploit innovative ideas?

Malaysia has the Multimedia Super Corridor project, started 15 years ago to encourage small technology companies.

What does Thailand have?

[alexth]

I might be wrong, but isn't this the guy who said he's not using the internet as he's too old?

[kmart]

The minister talked about Science and Technology,

but now we are talking about HDD manufacturing.

These are not the same.

How much original, or leading edge research goes on in Thailand?

Very little I suspect.

Does Thailand encourage small startup companies to exploit innovative ideas?

Malaysia has the Multimedia Super Corridor project, started 15 years ago to encourage small technology companies.

What does Thailand have?

Thailand need to bridge the education gap before anything else. Get the fundamental basics right as a starting block, and encourage healthy competition amongst students.

[alexth]

True. How can you think of technology and science when you still have so many illiterates?

[ThaiGoon]

According to the CIA's world factbook, as of 2002, the literacy rate in Thailand is 92.6%. And Malaysia's (2002 as well) is 88.7%.

So how can Malaysia think of the Multimedia Super Corridor project when they still have so many illiterates?

Edited May 24, 2007 by ThaiGoon

[ThaiGoon]

Singapore's literacy is 92.5% (as of 2002 as well.)

[alexth]

According to the CIA's world factbook, as of 2002, the literacy rate in Thailand is 92.6%. And Malaysia's (2002 as well) is 88.7%.

So how can Malaysia think of the Multimedia Super Corridor project when they still have so many illiterates?

Makes you wonder how are all these surveys are done in Thailand :D

[ThaiGoon]

According to the CIA's world factbook, as of 2002, the literacy rate in Thailand is 92.6%. And Malaysia's (2002 as well) is 88.7%.

So how can Malaysia think of the Multimedia Super Corridor project when they still have so many illiterates?

Makes you wonder how are all these surveys are done in Thailand :D

Makes you wonder what kind of expats Thailand's mostly attracted.

[alexth]

According to the CIA's world factbook, as of 2002, the literacy rate in Thailand is 92.6%. And Malaysia's (2002 as well) is 88.7%.

So how can Malaysia think of the Multimedia Super Corridor project when they still have so many illiterates?

Makes you wonder how are all these surveys are done in Thailand :D

Makes you wonder what kind of expats Thailand's mostly attracted.

I'm not going there with you again, ThaiGoon. You're not funny enough anymore

[ThaiGoon]