- 1 - 賛助会員の皆様への活動状況報告 Activity Report for TAIST - Tokyo Tech Supporting Members 東京工業大学 TAIST 運営委員会 TAIST Steering Committee, Tokyo Institute of Technology TAIST-Tokyo Tech organized the Opening & Orientation Ceremony 2012 on July 6, 2012 in Room 113, Central Building, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). This year marks the beginning of TAIST- Tokyo Tech Phase 2, the second five years. We also launched a third program, the Advanced and Sustainable Environmental Engineering Program (EnvE). Dr. Thaweesak Koanantakool, NSTDA president, and Prof. Dr. Akinori Nishihara, Chairman of the Steering Committee for TAIST-Tokyo Tech in Japan, delivered opening remarks. The abstracts of their speeches can be found on the following page. Mr. Koji Tawara, secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Thailand, also joined in the TAIST ceremony. The presentations aimed to inform students about the program and about the visits to laboratories, which will aid them in conducting research in their 2 nd year of study. Newsletter August 2012 Vol.7 The Opening & Orientation Ceremony 2012
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Newsletter€¦ · Agency (NSTDA). This year marks the beginning of TAIST- Tokyo Tech Phase 2, the second five years. We also launched a third program, the Advanced and Sustainable
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賛助会員の皆様への活動状況報告 Activity Report for TAIST - Tokyo Tech Supporting Members
東京工業大学 TAIST 運営委員会 TAIST Steering Committee, Tokyo Institute of Technology
TAIST-Tokyo Tech organized
the Opening & Orientation
Ceremony 2012 on July 6, 2012
in Room 113, Central Building,
National Science and
Technology Development
Agency (NSTDA).
This year marks the beginning of
TAIST- Tokyo Tech Phase 2, the
second five years. We also launched
a third program, the Advanced and Sustainable Environmental Engineering Program (EnvE).
Dr. Thaweesak Koanantakool, NSTDA president, and Prof. Dr. Akinori Nishihara, Chairman
of the Steering Committee for TAIST-Tokyo Tech in Japan, delivered opening remarks. The
abstracts of their speeches can be found on the following page.
Mr. Koji Tawara, secretary of the Embassy of Japan in
Thailand, also joined in the TAIST ceremony.
The presentations aimed to inform students about the
program and about the visits to laboratories, which will
After massive floods struck the central part of Thailand between September and the end of December 2011, affecting a broad area from Sukothai down to Samut Sakhon Province including the outskirts of Greater Bangkok, many businesses suffered directly and some became indirectly paralyzed.
Public utility and citizen housing properties were not the only ones to suffer damages. Several facilities of various industries also suffered damages. At the end of last year and at the beginning of this year, several public and private enterprises, together with regular citizens, started to formulate tremendous plans for restoration and recovery. Hopefully, there will be enough time to implement these plans, including the acquisition of appropriate equipment and the training of staff, before the next big flood hits.
However, there are still two points of concern. First, will there be another great flood this year and secondly, are the government and industry prepared or not. These two concerns need more explanation.
The Natural Topography of the Central Part of Thailand
First, regarding the body of water implicated in the flooding, we may need to observe the temperature of the Pacific Ocean. At the time of the flooding, we had no idea that continuous storms could cause such continuous heavy rains in the upper part of Thailand. In an interview with Dr. Songwoot Graipaspong, expert in the Federation of Thai Industries on rural and urban planning, he states that industry has to keep its eye on the capacity of the dams and the water released from several dams from the north, especially Bhumibhol Dam and Sirikit Dam. If the water mass outflow from the dams increases the amount of water in canals and in the river system to more than the capacity of these irrigation systems, then a flood is inevitable.
He explained more about the nature of the central part of Thailand. From historical data, it was found that around 3,000-6,000 years ago, the lowland plains around the Chao Praya River from Angtong Province down to Samut Prakarn used to be a sea. The topography of this area, which dried up and became land, is rather flat.
It is easy for a huge water mass to spread out over the entire area quickly. Once the water spreads out from the canals, it becomes a disaster for the rice fields and the properties of citizens and factories. He added that there should be full cooperation between government and the private sector to enlarge the canal and river capacity by maximum dredging. He also advised that natural irrigation is not enough. Thailand needs a scientific means of supra-irrigation equipped with strong flood gates with workable water pumps.
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How to Flush a Mass of Water Out to Sea Safely
The Thai government has passed official reconstruction measures supported by a budget of around USD 10,000 million. The government promises to repair all transportation infrastructure: small and big roads, highways, railroads, and ports. Along with this, the government is trying hard to repair and reconstruct the floodgates and water pumps.
More importantly, the government is asking for the assistance of local administrations to make a comprehensive survey of the sizes of all canals and rivers in the affected areas. Then, it becomes the responsibility of each local government to undertake a complete dredging of the waterways in their administrative areas. If there is a lot of water coming into the system, the canals and rivers could be the primary means by which to drain the water out to sea safely. If not, the water mass will overflow and flow out onto the plains.
At present, Thailand has several plans with money already earmarked for use. All that is needed is action. Thailand needs to realize these plans as quickly as possible in order to restore confidence and enable citizens and the private sector to feel secure enough to go on their normal lives and business.
Industries Threatened by Floods
Zooming back to individual factories, the plant manager should make a comprehensive prevention plan. Every plant in Thailand is familiar with the piling of sand bags in front of its gates to prevent water from coming in. Moreover, appropriate water pumps are needed for fighting floods. Additionally, civil engineers recommend investigating whether or not there are any holes under the beams of the factory fences. These holes are caused by the sinking of underground soil or sand. They represent weak points where water can penetrate into the plant. If there are holes, the factory has to fill these in with the appropriate materials.
The President of the Federation of Thai Industries, Mr. Payungsak Chatsutipol, recommends that industries should create a network for exchanging news and even for helping each other with logistics and production should there be another massive flood. This type of cooperation will help everyone get through the disaster better.
Reconstruction, Strengthen Preparations for Prevention
In conclusion, we still do not know with certainty whether or not another large water mass will come down to the lowland plains of the Chao Praya area. Nonetheless, Thailand needs to dredge its canals and rivers to create more capacity in these water reservoirs. Together with this, Thailand needs to reconstruct and strengthen its floodgates and gate-pumps to be prepared to flush away another mass of water.
Individually, factories have to prepare sand bags, pumps, and initiate fence repairs where necessary. More important than these preparations, the cooperation between and among private sector enterprises and between the government and the private sector are urgently needed to take action now.
Dr. Dumrongkiat Ratana-Amornpin Manager, Tokyo Tech Office (Thailand)
Director of Master of Business Administration program (Industrial Management), TNI
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TAIST-Tokyo Tech Supporting Members
(in order of membership application date)
Nissan Technical Center South East Asia Co.,
Ltd. (NTCSEA)
www.nissan-global.com
Fujikura Management Organization Thailand
(FMOT)
www.fujikura.co.jp
ISUZU Group Foundation
www.isuzu-tis.com
Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. (AGC)
www.agc.co.jp
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
global.mitsubishielectric.com
Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd.
www.akebono-brake.com
Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd.
www.toyota.co.th
PTT Exploration and Production Public Co., Ltd.
www.pttep.com
PTT Aromatics and Refining PLC.
www.pttar.com
IRPC Public Co., Ltd.
www.irpc.co.th
PTT Chemical Public Co., Ltd.
www.pttchem.com
Theppratarn Kanrae Co., Ltd.
www.wenggroup.com
Thai Caprolactam Public Co., Ltd. (UBE)
www.ube.co.th
Showa Denko K.K.
www.sdk.co.jp
Hitachi, Ltd.
www.hitachi.com
Acknowledgement of our supporting members:
UBE Group is a leading petrochemical manufacturer based in
Rayong Province. It continues to improve and expand its
production capacity and product lines with over 20 billion Baht
worth of assets and 600 employees in Thailand. Thailand has also
been selected as one of three strategic locations (in addition to Japan and Spain) for future UBE
investment. Companies within the UBE Group include:
1) UBE Chemicals (Asia) Public Company Limited
(UCHA): the first producer and distributor of Caprolactam,
Ammonium Sulphate and engineering Nylon 6 in Thailand
and Southeast Asia
2) UBE Fine Chemicals (Asia) Co., Ltd. (UFA): producer and distributor of 1,6-Hexanediol
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3) Thai Synthetic Rubbers Co., Ltd. (TSL): the first Poly-butadiene
plant in Southeast Asia.
4) UBE Technical Center (Asia) Limited (UTCA): provides
research and development services to companies within the UBE
Group
5) Rayong Fertilizer Trading Company Limited (RFT): marketing
company of all ammonium sulfate products form UBE Chemicals
(Asia) Public Company Limited in Thailand and Southeast Asia
For additional information, please visit their website: www.ube.co.th
Hitachi, which means "risen sun," is looking for a new dawn of
profits from its galaxy of businesses. The company's
Information & Telecommunications Systems (semiconductors,
servers, mainframes, ATMs) brings in the most revenue with Social Infrastructure (elevators,
escalators, industrial machinery) and High Functional Materials (wire, cables, specialty steel,
circuit boards) up next. Its Electronic Systems & Equipment segment includes specialized
manufacturing equipment and power tools.
The company is also a world leader in consumer goods ranging from TVs to washing machines
and manufactures power generation equipment. Hitachi also has operations in financial
services, automotive systems, and construction machinery.
For additional information, please visit their website: www.hitachi.com