Thai students develop cheap, light bulletproof vest

[webfact]

Students develop cheap, light bulletproof vest
By The Nation

 

 

PHITSANULOK: -- AN international-standard bulletproof vest designed by students that is lighter and much cheaper than other such products on the Thai market has been launched by Naresuan University in Phitsanulok.

 

The innovative composite vest was developed by six fourth-year students of the Faculty of Engineering’s Materials Engineering Department under the supervision and advice of lecturers Chuleeporn Paa-rai, Piyanun Boonpayak, Auppatham Nakaruk and Narumon Seeponkai. 

 

The students are Kanokwan Maneeworn, Natthawut Parisawong, Banjerdlak Yaemniyom, Parichat Pomyai, Supakrit Phromdoung and Adisorn Pinmanee.

 

Parichat said most bulletproof vests on the market were heavy and expensive, costing up to Bt15,000. 

 

But their vest, which performed well in tests at a military range, costs just Bt2,500. 

 

She said the composite material – combining polymers, natural cellulose, glass, steel and ceramic fibres to create unique higher-quality properties – would prevent penetration of a fast, hot and spinning object like a bullet, reducing the force of impact and preventing injury to the wearer.

 

‘Did well in Army tests’

 

Parichat said that the hard vest’s composite plates made of glass, carbon and natural fibre were strong and light and could prevent penetration of sharp-edged bullets of .38mm, .45mm and 9mm calibre. Bullets shot from a 10-metre distance would not reach the vest’s inner layer, she added.

 

Narumon said the vest performed well in a test conducted at the Third Army Region’s Somdet Phra Eka Thotsarot Camp’s shooting range.

 

She added that in future, they would develop the innovation as a full-body, soft bulletproof garment that could be a lighter, cheaper and more effective option for troops tackling the ongoing unrest in the deep South.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30313945

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-02

[canuckamuck]

The real test would be to try it out in Thai traffic.

[DoctorG]

If it is as good as they say, then congratulations to the students. Well done.

[phantomfiddler]

Haha, probably the only country in the world where students, especially in the Vocational Colleges, need bulletproof vests !

[sanukjim]

Ah Yes, I think that you maybe can put these vest along with those "Bomb Detectors" that were developed and sold here to the military. Show me the test results in an unaltered video please.

[soalbundy]

They will be issued to all technical university students in Bangkok, nothing like battle field exposure to test a product.

[kannot]

do they only stop cheap , light  bullets?

[soalbundy]

2 minutes ago, kannot said:

do they only stop cheap , light  bullets?

Stop an air gun pellet from 20 meters

[mtls2005]

Students develop cheap, light bulletproof vest

 

 

...which are of course against the law to own. 

 

No doubt inspired by the X-Ray or silk cocoon models which have been touted/used here.

 

How about a bigger amulet?
 

 

[robblok]

8 minutes ago, sanukjim said:

Ah Yes, I think that you maybe can put these vest along with those "Bomb Detectors" that were developed and sold here to the military. Show me the test results in an unaltered video please.

That bomb detector was developed by a by a few Brits... so much for bashing Thais.. good luck.. it was a farang scamming Thais (who were probably bribed)

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29459896

[Ulic]

By the time you add the profit, graft fee, etc.....etc..... I am sure it will be well in excess of 15,000 baht.

[Lingba]

The word cheap concerns me

[fruitman]

42 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

If it is as good as they say, then congratulations to the students. Well done.

I agree.

And to prove that it works i would like to see them wearing it while being shot at. That's real proof to me.

[robblok]

31 minutes ago, Ulic said:

By the time you add the profit, graft fee, etc.....etc..... I am sure it will be well in excess of 15,000 baht.

 

Yes I wonder if they are comparing sales price and manufacturing price.. Also their vest does not look like a vest more like part of a vest.. so not sure how the comparison would work out for real. 

[klauskunkel]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Students develop cheap, light bulletproof vest

and tomorrow's headline:

Thailand invents bulletproof vest

[silverhawk_usa]

Always have to have the bashing.  Why not just compliment the students on what appears to be a well researched and implemented project? Every product has a prototype.  This appears to be a good start.  Well done.

[scubascuba3]

Always have to have the bashing.  Why not just compliment the students on what appears to be a well researched and implemented project? Every product has a prototype.  This appears to be a good start.  Well done.

Yes a very negative culture on TV, shame.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, DoctorG said:

If it is as good as they say, then congratulations to the students. Well done.

Probably made with a little self preservation in mind, students could wear them on the way to and from Uni so they don't get killed when all hell breaks loose between rival students.

[Dexlowe]

2 hours ago, silverhawk_usa said:

Always have to have the bashing.  Why not just compliment the students on what appears to be a well researched and implemented project? Every product has a prototype.  This appears to be a good start.  Well done.

I think you'll find there's a very good reason for the cynicism. First, how would a group of nondescript students in a third world country be able to develop a product better than the mighty military machines of the world, with their bottomless wells of finance and resources? Second, plagiarism is practically a role model at Thai universities and colleges, so this product has a fair chance of being copied. Sorry, that's just the way it is here, and until innovations are peer reviewed, they (the students and their tutors) shouldn't being crowing about it.

[upena]

But, illegal for civilians to wear

[jaltsc]

"AN international-standard bulletproof vest designed by students ..."

 

Soon to become a mandatory part of technical school uniforms.  

Edited May 2, 2017 by jaltsc

[ratcatcher]

4 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

I think you'll find there's a very good reason for the cynicism. First, how would a group of nondescript students in a third world country be able to develop a product better than the mighty military machines of the world, with their bottomless wells of finance and resources? Second, plagiarism is practically a role model at Thai universities and colleges, so this product has a fair chance of being copied. Sorry, that's just the way it is here, and until innovations are peer reviewed, they (the students and their tutors) shouldn't being crowing about it.

Your analysis is probably very accurate. My only question is why on earth would you choose to live in a third world country.

[Dexlowe]

1 minute ago, ratcatcher said:

Your analysis is probably very accurate. My only question is why on earth would you choose to live in a third world country.

Sorry, but I don't understand your question and how it relates to the OP.

[rkidlad]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

That bomb detector was developed by a by a few Brits... so much for bashing Thais.. good luck.. it was a farang scamming Thais (who were probably bribed)

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29459896

The bomb detectors weren't actually bomb detectors. Everyone, bar the tax payer at the time of purchase, knew this. It was 'farangs' and 'Thais' scamming the tax payer at the same time together. Teamwork, if you will. 

 

Only difference is that the 'farangs' who sold them these duds were con artists who were never morally obliged to tell the truth. The people who bought them were. 

[robblok]

Just now, rkidlad said:

The bomb detectors weren't actually bomb detectors. Everyone, bar the tax payer at the time of purchase, knew this. It was 'farangs' and 'Thais' scamming the tax payer at the same time together. Teamwork, if you will. 

 

Only difference is that the 'farangs' who sold them these duds were con artists who were never morally obliged to tell the truth. The people who bought them were. 

I would not say that everyone knew this.. that is not what i read in the article. Unless everyone who ever bought them had to know. 

[Moonmoon]

Good the students definitely need this on their bus rides to and from school.

[rkidlad]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

I would not say that everyone knew this.. that is not what i read in the article. Unless everyone who ever bought them had to know. 

Ha ha. When spending this amount of money, it might be a good idea to do your homework first. Hell, even a quick google could have told them the answer. If they really didn't do their homework, then god bless this country cos the people in charge are grossly negligent. But I don't believe anyone is this stupid. They knew and just pretended they were innocent. The British courts have no authority to question the Thais who bought these plastic boxes. If they say they didn't know, the British government simply agree. If the British sellers of these boxes had said the same thing, they'd have been dismissed as pure BS, and sentenced accordingly.

 

Everyone knew except for the people who needed to know. Like poor soldiers risking their lives and people who pay taxes. 

[Hereinthailand]

Well good for them for trying but all they made was a composite hard plate to stop pistol rounds which are easy to defeat. 2500 baht ? hmmm I could go buy a thin plate of quality steel for much less than that that will stop any of those rounds and even magnum pistol rounds. Another reason a good vest costs so much is it catches the round, hard plates have a tendency to deflect the bullet into your face or other body parts, but they do have their uses when you are wanting to save money.

[Thongkorn]

Will they be made in China,  think the only thing good about them is you can pick them up after the poor guy or girl has been blown up with a rocket launcher.

[anotheruser]

5 hours ago, Lingba said:

The word cheap concerns me

Come on now... you don't primarily consider price when buying bullet proof vests? I know when I buy my flack jackets I always think I could pay more but why would I?