Leading University In Bangkok Produces First Amphibious Vehicle For Flood Use

[webfact]

University produces first amphibious vehicle for flood use
By English News



BANGKOK, March 21 – Thailand’s first amphibious vehicle to brace for floods was unveiled by a leading university in Bangkok on Wednesday.

Nine students of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang jointly built the prototype amphibious vehicle after the 2010 massive floods that severely affected Thailand.

Suchatvee Suwansawat, dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said the vehicle, named “Matchanu”, can transport two persons at a maximum weight of 250 kg and move through floods at a speed of 18 km/hour for a distance of 25 km.

The three-wheeled vehicle can also run against the tide at a speed of 5-8 km/hour. It can move forward and backward.

The assembly cost for each unit is Bt200,000. It can be made for recreational or tourism use.

The dean said the university has an ambitious plan to produce the amphibious vehicle for commercial purposes. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-03-21

[retell]

hey a jetski with wheels

[sjjmmi]

2010 Massive Flooding ? ? ? ? You sure

[MikeENZ]

Give it 10 days before theres a bright yellow version playing gangnam style with a canopy on ...

[harrry]

Phuket?

[steve down under]

Wonders how long it will take them to start scamming tourists claiming they have damaged it ?

[Buchholz]

How many will JJ order for his jet-ski business?

Edited March 21, 2013 by Buchholz

[harrry]

The "taxi drivers will never allow them."

Edited March 21, 2013 by harrry

[MikeOboe57]

While I admit it is a nice piece of engineering by the students, there are some flaws. The hull (jetski) is designed for high speed gliding, they have to adjust it for low speed cruise, and without a trailer of similar design for transport of goods or persons it is just an expensive toy. But speeding around the disaster areas will certainly take any hiso's mind off his flooded home for a while. And you can sink or capsize any improvised floating device of the lower classes with the waves you create - that is going to be funny.

[Pimay1]

Wonders how long it will take them to start scamming tourists claiming they have damaged it ?

The very first day.

[Pimay1]

While I admit it is a nice piece of engineering by the students, there are some flaws. The hull (jetski) is designed for high speed gliding, they have to adjust it for low speed cruise, and without a trailer of similar design for transport of goods or persons it is just an expensive toy. But speeding around the disaster areas will certainly take any hiso's mind off his flooded home for a while. And you can sink or capsize any improvised floating device of the lower classes with the waves you create - that is going to be funny.

MP Karun may be one of the first buyers. It seems he enjoyed running around during the flood on his jet ski at high speed until he zipped by a boat at high speed and capsized it. After one of the guys in the capsized boat gave him a split lip it took all the fun out of it.

[Thai at Heart]

Nice high school project. But really, a jet ski with wheels. I am sure Honda are falling over themselves to get hold of this.

[RKASA]

"can transport two persons at a maximum weight of 250 kg" that would be five Thai's then - will they make a version that can carry the average tourist?

[Morakot]

What's the road speed of this three-wheeled vehicle?

[Soutpeel]

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=only+fools+%26+horses+car&view=detail&id=91A1EB966E9BA403D972BB48028C7A0D40E73EB1&FORM=IDFRIR

been done years ago and this one had a roof... LOL

[jamhar]

Actually i dont think this is a bad project.

TL already makes scooters, and a jet ski is a scooter for the water.

Having said that, this is mostly a "wow" project.

So a perfect college or highschool project.

Practical, maybe, but not cost effective.

You can build many more simple boats with little outboard for the same cost.

[Thai at Heart]

What's the road speed of this three-wheeled vehicle?

I wonder if there is a definition of "road legal" in Thailand. I suppose at times of flood like a few years ago, all bets are off. So presumably, this would become useful whenever the next 50 year flood comes along.

[Johnnie99]

Are they serious? They really think they have invented something with that? Oh my hat. T.I.T. indeed.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Johnnie99

[eeeya]

I prefer this flood reconciliation vehicle.. Seems more purpose built

[tigermonkey]

The constant barage of "first-time inventions" in Thailand becomes very tiresome after a while - why don't they research a little and see how many times it has already been done elsewhere.

Thailand is certainly the Hub of Phony Firsts.

Good article from Popular Mechanics about 9 amphibs since 1961 at http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/pictures/swimming-with-cars-9-amphibious-vehicles#slide-1

Unfortunately they missed what I believe to be the actual first - the amphibious Jeep from World War II

Edited March 21, 2013 by tigermonkey

[billd766]

The DUKW was made during the Second world war and would be of far more use.

The Amphicar was made in Germany in the 1960s and would be more fun.

[NomadJoe]

Reminds of a quote I read during the floods: "Thai's are horrible planners but excellent copers."

[Tywais]

A bit more elegant design.

As you can see on the picture this Jetski is a little different than any other one, it has wheels and obviously it is capable of going on land too. In other words this is World’s First High Speed Amphibian Quadbike / ATV. It is capable of travelling up to 50 mph on land and water and makes the transition, according to the company, at the flick of a switch

Source

[retell]

A bit more elegant design.

As you can see on the picture this Jetski is a little different than any other one, it has wheels and obviously it is capable of going on land too. In other words this is World’s First High Speed Amphibian Quadbike / ATV. It is capable of travelling up to 50 mph on land and water and makes the transition, according to the company, at the flick of a switch

Source

aha those are wheels designed for a beach

still wonder what to do if one gets a flat tyre while on the water

[overherebc]

Scientists at Aberystwyth University and the University of Cambridge in the UK managed to create world.docMeanwhile, back in the UK

[candypants]

What's the road speed of this three-wheeled vehicle?

how big are your cojones?

[Pimay1]

Meanwhile back in Kentucky....

[Marlow999]

While I admit it is a nice piece of engineering by the students, there are some flaws. The hull (jetski) is designed for high speed gliding, they have to adjust it for low speed cruise, and without a trailer of similar design for transport of goods or persons it is just an expensive toy. But speeding around the disaster areas will certainly take any hiso's mind off his flooded home for a while. And you can sink or capsize any improvised floating device of the lower classes with the waves you create - that is going to be funny.

Didn't cross your mind that they thought about that and the craft may have been adjusted for low speed cruise? Give them some credit.

[Marlow999]

Actually i dont think this is a bad project.

TL already makes scooters, and a jet ski is a scooter for the water.

Having said that, this is mostly a "wow" project.

So a perfect college or highschool project.

Practical, maybe, but not cost effective.

You can build many more simple boats with little outboard for the same cost.

How do you drive a boat with an outboard motor on land?

[Marlow999]

I prefer this flood reconciliation vehicle.. Seems more purpose built390952_10150448334571228_2003651616_n.jpg

Hardly amphibious though.