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Published on January 29, 2008

The organisation was set up last year under the National Telecommunications Commission with a mission to promote the development of the telecoms industry as a whole.

The move recognises the vital role of telecommunications in the economy. As most local telecoms spending is on imported products rather than local development, the idea is to dramatically reduce import value. The TRIDI aims to promote the development of local hardware and equipment as well as software, applications and content.

TRIDI director Supot Tiarawut said the first step was to train more people in the area and at the same time promote related industries.

The four technology-focused areas are wire-line and wireless broadband access technology, short-range communication technology, optical communication technology such as fibre-to-home, and next-generation network technology.

"Our focus areas follow the global trend where it is likely the three main telecom technologies - the service platform as the core network, especially optical communication, and access technology such as wireless, and fibre-to-home technology - will play an important role in the future," said Supot.

According to the telecom value chain, moving from network equipment, network operation, network middleware, applications, content, terminal equipment and service providers, there are many business opportunities for Thai telecommunications companies. Supot said the primary targets included network equipment, applications, content and terminal equipment.

Initially, the institute has rolled out a plan to develop a researcher database and a telecom manufacturing database, to encourage the establishment of a centre of excellence in telecoms and related technologies, and to promote local applications.

It plans to collaborate with academic institutions to develop the researcher database and to collaborate with the industrial sector to develop the manufacturing database.

The institute will sign memorandums of understanding with Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University, Chiang Mai University, Khon Kaen University, Prince of Songkla University, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Lat Krabang, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thon Buri, and Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology in the near future.

The collaboration with the universities is to encourage them to become centres of research and development around the industry. The support includes research funds to master's degree students, doctorate students and project leaders who conduct research and development related to telecom technology.

Research funds will also be provided to the universities' teachers who have joint R&D projects with the private sector to produce telecoms equipment, and there will be support to equip the universities' telecommunications research laboratories with the latest technologies such as wireless broadband network facilities.

The TRIDI also plans to work with the Software Industry Promotion Agency to establish a centre of excellence for radio frequency identification and to work with the Board of Investment to develop a database of the telecoms industry in Thailand.

"Once we acknowledge the current status of the country's telecommunications industry, we will move to the next step and design ways to efficiently encourage local development," said Supot.

Asina Pornwasin

The Nation