RFID Institute formed in Thailand

The Software Industry Promotion Agency, the Thai Embedded Systems Association (Tesa) and other partners have joined forces to establish the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Institute of Thailand.

The new institute, known simply as RFID-TH, will become a test bed centre and will showcase RFID technology among businesses, industries and software developers in Thailand.

Software Industry Promotion Agency (Sipa) vice president Santi Suraratana

said RFID-TH would provide and transfer RFID technology to software developers and industries wanting to adopt the technology as a means of enhancing productivity and competitiveness.

It will share resources and experience between industries that use RFID, to support their growth.

The new institute will also be a test bed centre at which developers can showcase software running operational processes in an RFID environment, so that local businesses can assess the new technology and decide on its adoption. The centre will also come with hardware, software, applications and a knowledge base which it will transfer to developers and businesses, Santi said.

RFID-TH will promote the use of RFID technology in industries such as healthcare, security and access control, transportation and retailing. Supply-chain management is also a high priority.

Moreover, it will create applications and RFID codes or items for animals, plants and various products.

Tesa president Apinetr Unakul said RFID-TH expected to be open and ready to consult with businesses and software developers within the first half of this year.

He said the institute would urge about 8,000 companies around the country that are already using RFID in some of their operations to extend the technology into other areas and create new business opportunities.

RFID-TH will operate for three years and its main roles will be as a consultant and match-maker, linking the supply side with business demand so that companies will be able to lay down infrastructure, invest and install the right solutions to boost and support their businesses, he said.

Moreover, it will preach the need for businesses and industries to adopt new technologies to enhance their competitiveness. It will provide productivity tools to expand businesses based on international trade without tariff barriers, Apinetr said.