Device monitors position, speed, status, allows voice contact
The National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) has developed a computer-based system to maintain real-time surveillance over the behaviour of transport drivers and remotely monitor the progress of deliveries by road.
The system is called the G-Box, having been developed as a driving assistance system in the centre's so-called Generic Box Project. Nectec, which developed the G-Box as a means of minimising transport risks to businesses, expects the technology to be ready for commercial use in the near future.
The director of Nectec's Intelligent Transport Systems Programme, Passakorn Pathombutr, said that the G-Box, which would be located in transport trailers, rather than in the prime mover or driving cabin, aimed to check the status of the trailer and its cargo from point of origin to destination. The technology is based on embedded systems and open-source software. The status of the trailer will be displayed constantly on a monitor screen in the computer centre of the company's head office.
The G-Box is integrated with a global positioning system (GPS) which provides both location and speed. The system will also report on the status of both the trailer and the engine control unit of the truck.
The system will also provide useful real-time information to the driver during the journey, such as warning of accidents or road construction on the road ahead so that the driver can avoid troublesome spots. These warnings will be delivered to the driver about 20 kilometres before the site of the problem.
The system will not only allow head-office administrators to check the status and location of the trailer and its load, but also to give the driver a verbal warning if the speed of the trailer exceeds speed limits set by the company or the law.
"We are concerned about both security and the confidence of drivers," Passakorn said. "The G-Box can also check and control the behaviour of drivers while they are on the road."
Nectec has installed prototype G-Boxes into two PTT truck-trailers hauling oil around the country. The next step is to transfer the technology to business partners so the G-Box will soon be available commercially to the public.
He said the centre planned to implement and bundle controller area network technology, speech- and voice-recognition technology into the G-Box in the future so that the box will provide a gateway for truck-trailer drivers to communicate with other vehicles. Moreover, users will be able to access the Internet on the move, from cars, trucks or buses on which the G-Boxes are installed.
Passakorn said the G-Box was also suitable for installation in school buses, taxis and passenger cars, to monitor driving economy or to oversee new drivers.
Monday, August 24, 2009
PUSH FOR PRIVATE INITIATIVE IN INLAND WATER TRANSPORT
The Transport Ministry will support private-sector efforts to boost the country's inland water-transport capacity as a means of lowering logistics costs.
Deputy Transport Minister Kuakul Danchaiwijit said the ministry was working with the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT), the Water Transport Department and the shipping industry to formulate specific support measures.
Speaking after visiting the CP Group's port and inland container depot (ICD) operation in Ayutthaya province, Kuakul said the volume of goods transported via inland waterways now accounted for only 5 per cent of the country's total cargo.
Earlier, the minister held a meeting of senior officials to promote inland water transport along the Chao Phya River, the Kingdom's longest, running from the North to the Central Plain.
Compared with road transport, inland water transport has long-term potential to help lower logistics costs in Thailand, which are relatively expensive due to high dependence on land transport.
Besides inland water transport, the government also wants to promote greater use of railways, which is more cost-effective than road transport.
Kuakul said the government would have to play the leading role in infrastructure development for inland water transport, in order to boost efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
There must also be more linkages between road-, water- and rail-transport facilities.
At present, only two of the country's five major rivers are partly used for water transport: the Chao Phya and the Pasak.
Acting PAT governor Sunida Skulratana said her agency and the CP Group's Ayutthaya port had been cooperating to provide a container-transport service from Klong Toei and Laem Chabang ports to destinations in the northern, northeastern and central regions.
"Inland water transport is cheaper for many types of cargo, because we can handle larger quantities. Fuel-efficiency is also better," said Sunida.
Meanwhile, the CP Group, a diversified conglomerate, has spent Bt1 billion to develop its Ayutthaya port and related ICD facility, located on 313 rai of land, so that it can handle up to 400,000 containers a year.
The port can handle up to five barges at a time, each one capable of carrying 60 containers.
Deputy Transport Minister Kuakul Danchaiwijit said the ministry was working with the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT), the Water Transport Department and the shipping industry to formulate specific support measures.
Speaking after visiting the CP Group's port and inland container depot (ICD) operation in Ayutthaya province, Kuakul said the volume of goods transported via inland waterways now accounted for only 5 per cent of the country's total cargo.
Earlier, the minister held a meeting of senior officials to promote inland water transport along the Chao Phya River, the Kingdom's longest, running from the North to the Central Plain.
Compared with road transport, inland water transport has long-term potential to help lower logistics costs in Thailand, which are relatively expensive due to high dependence on land transport.
Besides inland water transport, the government also wants to promote greater use of railways, which is more cost-effective than road transport.
Kuakul said the government would have to play the leading role in infrastructure development for inland water transport, in order to boost efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
There must also be more linkages between road-, water- and rail-transport facilities.
At present, only two of the country's five major rivers are partly used for water transport: the Chao Phya and the Pasak.
Acting PAT governor Sunida Skulratana said her agency and the CP Group's Ayutthaya port had been cooperating to provide a container-transport service from Klong Toei and Laem Chabang ports to destinations in the northern, northeastern and central regions.
"Inland water transport is cheaper for many types of cargo, because we can handle larger quantities. Fuel-efficiency is also better," said Sunida.
Meanwhile, the CP Group, a diversified conglomerate, has spent Bt1 billion to develop its Ayutthaya port and related ICD facility, located on 313 rai of land, so that it can handle up to 400,000 containers a year.
The port can handle up to five barges at a time, each one capable of carrying 60 containers.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Rescuers find bones, ash of Chinese sailors
Malaysian police ended search and rescue efforts yesterday on a stricken Taiwanese oil tanker involved in a collision in the Malacca Strait after the burnt remains of all its missing crew were found.
The MT Formosa Product Brick tanker caught fire and was seriously damaged last week after a collision with a Greekmanaged bulk carrier in the narrow shipping lane. Burnt bone fragments of two of the nine missing Chinese sailors were found on Saturday.
"We have ended all search and rescue efforts as the remains of all nine Chinese crew members have been found," said Rizal Ramli, marine police chief in Port Dickson. The accident happened off Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan state, south of Kuala Lumpur.
"We only found bones as the fire was so hot that most of the bodies were incinerated beyond recognition," Chief Ramli added.
The tanker was carrying naphtha, a flammable liquid mixture ofhydrocarbons distilled from petroleum,coal tar and natural gas.
The MT Formosa Product Brick tanker caught fire and was seriously damaged last week after a collision with a Greekmanaged bulk carrier in the narrow shipping lane. Burnt bone fragments of two of the nine missing Chinese sailors were found on Saturday.
"We have ended all search and rescue efforts as the remains of all nine Chinese crew members have been found," said Rizal Ramli, marine police chief in Port Dickson. The accident happened off Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan state, south of Kuala Lumpur.
"We only found bones as the fire was so hot that most of the bodies were incinerated beyond recognition," Chief Ramli added.
The tanker was carrying naphtha, a flammable liquid mixture ofhydrocarbons distilled from petroleum,coal tar and natural gas.
2 cargo boats go down off Andaman coast
Two cargo boats have sunk during fierce storms in the Andaman Sea off Phangnga and Satun. There were no casualties.
Sixteen crewmen were rescued after their Thai-registered cargo ship went down in rough weather yesterday morning off the coast of Takua Pa district in Phangnga.
The naval rescue team from the 3rd Fleet sent boats to the scene.
The crew members - seven Thais,four Indonesians and five Burmese were rescued and admitted to the naval base hospital for examination.
They were later released.A preliminary investigation found the ship,Chart 1 , captained byanIndonesian, was transporting 1,200 teak logs from Burma to Vietnam.
The wooden boat struggled with the stormy weather and sank after water flowed into the engine room.
Further south in Satun, another Thairegistered boat carrying seafood to the northern Malaysian state of Perlis sank shortly after it left Tamalung port in Muang district yesterday afternoon.
Two crews and two passengers, who were not identified, were plucked from the water by marine police.
The passengers had hired the boat to deliver the seafood but it capsized in heavy rain and gusty winds near Puyu Cape.
Sixteen crewmen were rescued after their Thai-registered cargo ship went down in rough weather yesterday morning off the coast of Takua Pa district in Phangnga.
The naval rescue team from the 3rd Fleet sent boats to the scene.
The crew members - seven Thais,four Indonesians and five Burmese were rescued and admitted to the naval base hospital for examination.
They were later released.A preliminary investigation found the ship,Chart 1 , captained byanIndonesian, was transporting 1,200 teak logs from Burma to Vietnam.
The wooden boat struggled with the stormy weather and sank after water flowed into the engine room.
Further south in Satun, another Thairegistered boat carrying seafood to the northern Malaysian state of Perlis sank shortly after it left Tamalung port in Muang district yesterday afternoon.
Two crews and two passengers, who were not identified, were plucked from the water by marine police.
The passengers had hired the boat to deliver the seafood but it capsized in heavy rain and gusty winds near Puyu Cape.
lmprove competitiveness ahead of AEC, logistics providers told
The Commerce Ministry is asking Thai logistics providers to improve their competitiveness, in order to ensure business growth following service liberalisation under the Asean Economic Community.
Trade Negotiations Department director-general Nuntawan Sakuntanaga said the liberalisation of logistics, particularly air transport, would be opened further next year. Thai exporters should ensure they are efficient enough to compete with foreign players from other Asean countries.
The AEC will see a free flow of trade and investment by 2015 Asean will open the logistics sector wider for members starting next year. Other sectors to be further liberalised are healthcare, telecommunications and tourism.
Asean investors will be allowed to hold a maximum 70-per-cent stake in each of these types of service businesses within the grouping by 2015. They can own 49 per cent now, rising to 51 per cent next year.
However, the percentage of shareholding will also be subject to the internal foreign-business laws of each individual nation.
Logistics costs amount to 18 per cent of the Kingdom's gross domestic product: 8 per cent from transportation costs, 7 per cent from product weight, 2 per cent from operating costs and 1 per cent from warehouse costs.
However, liberalisation will not only improve Thai providers' competitiveness, but also help lower Thai exporters' costs, said Nuntawan.
To ensure local logistic providers can compete with foreign investors, they must act quickly to improve their efficiency and lower operating costs, Nuntawan said.
The government will design projects to help logistics providers develop their competitiveness. A special committee for logistics development has been set up and is chaired by Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot, with improving competitiveness a major goal.
Investors from Japan, the United States, Singapore, Australia, Germany and China have to date owned many logistics and related businesses in the Kingdom. These include port services for international trading, packaging services, third-party logistics and express delivery service.
Only regular mail services are reserved for Thais under the country's postal laws.
Trade Negotiations Department director-general Nuntawan Sakuntanaga said the liberalisation of logistics, particularly air transport, would be opened further next year. Thai exporters should ensure they are efficient enough to compete with foreign players from other Asean countries.
The AEC will see a free flow of trade and investment by 2015 Asean will open the logistics sector wider for members starting next year. Other sectors to be further liberalised are healthcare, telecommunications and tourism.
Asean investors will be allowed to hold a maximum 70-per-cent stake in each of these types of service businesses within the grouping by 2015. They can own 49 per cent now, rising to 51 per cent next year.
However, the percentage of shareholding will also be subject to the internal foreign-business laws of each individual nation.
Logistics costs amount to 18 per cent of the Kingdom's gross domestic product: 8 per cent from transportation costs, 7 per cent from product weight, 2 per cent from operating costs and 1 per cent from warehouse costs.
However, liberalisation will not only improve Thai providers' competitiveness, but also help lower Thai exporters' costs, said Nuntawan.
To ensure local logistic providers can compete with foreign investors, they must act quickly to improve their efficiency and lower operating costs, Nuntawan said.
The government will design projects to help logistics providers develop their competitiveness. A special committee for logistics development has been set up and is chaired by Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot, with improving competitiveness a major goal.
Investors from Japan, the United States, Singapore, Australia, Germany and China have to date owned many logistics and related businesses in the Kingdom. These include port services for international trading, packaging services, third-party logistics and express delivery service.
Only regular mail services are reserved for Thais under the country's postal laws.
ETERNITY JOINS HANDS WITH REGIONAL GROUP
Eternity Grand Logistics has joined the recently established ARE group to expand its new door-to-door delivery service to the Asean market to compete against giant multinational rivals.
"We position the ARE services as a competitive model, translating into 'lower' prices than our rivals." Poonsak Thiapairat, managing director of the locally owned company, said recently.
The move is part of the firm's revised strategic plan to focus on its core business, ground logistics services, rather than on diversification, he told The Nation.
ARE, which stands for Asia Road Express, was established by four logistics firms two months ago to provide door-to-door delivery services by road in Asean, where international firms like TNT, DHL and Kerry Logistics are big players.
ARE's range already covers Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore Vietnam and Thailand and would expand to Cambodia, Burma and South China.
It would start the Bangkok-Vientiane, Bangkok-Hanoi, Bangkok-Ho Chi Minh routes next month. Bangkok-Cambodia would follow by year-end.
The minimum shipment is 200 kilograms. Less-than-containerload service is available.
As Eternity Grand Logistics is responsible for ARE's management, the company is also an authorised agent that can sell services under the ARE brand.
"We don't have any stake in ARE as wejoined hands with it for only the purpose of business cooperation," Poonsak said.
Doing business with ARE would help the company strengthen its network especially in Indochina, he said.
Eternity Grand Logistics is a medium-sized company listed on the Market for Alternative Investment. Its books were not as pretty as expected after diversifying via a joint venture into coal trading a few years ago.
The company posted a huge profit drop of 98 per cent on year to Bt230,000 in the first quarter, due partly to a coal inventory burden, besides the shrinkage in demand for shipments in the wake of the economic crisis. Revenue also saw a 34.77-per-cent drop on year to Bt210.19 million in the first quarter.
"Now we're repositioning ourselves by focusing on only our core logistics and related services after making an exit from the coal trading business three months ago," Poonsak said
As the company has no experience in coal trading, it could not generate income well, he said.
The company would employ its imported coal storage and distribution centre on 100 rai of land in Nakhon Laung, ayutthaya, to provide coal warehousing and distributing services to energy firms such as Unique Mining Services, Asia Green and Banpu.
The company's first-half sales of Bt466.35 million were substantially behind its target of Bt1.2 billion for this full-year.
"Anyway, we still keep our sales target with no revision," he said. Firsthalf net profit was Bt2.89 million, down from Bt48.58 million last year.
To boost sales in this half, the company would extend its capability to provide multi-modal transport services using road and rail, with the focus on import and export shipments.
The company is now doing trials for shipments in the automobile, food and agricultural industries and expects to launch full services this year. It will also expand into new markets with potential for growth such as oil and ethanol, as there is still demand.
"We position the ARE services as a competitive model, translating into 'lower' prices than our rivals." Poonsak Thiapairat, managing director of the locally owned company, said recently.
The move is part of the firm's revised strategic plan to focus on its core business, ground logistics services, rather than on diversification, he told The Nation.
ARE, which stands for Asia Road Express, was established by four logistics firms two months ago to provide door-to-door delivery services by road in Asean, where international firms like TNT, DHL and Kerry Logistics are big players.
ARE's range already covers Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore Vietnam and Thailand and would expand to Cambodia, Burma and South China.
It would start the Bangkok-Vientiane, Bangkok-Hanoi, Bangkok-Ho Chi Minh routes next month. Bangkok-Cambodia would follow by year-end.
The minimum shipment is 200 kilograms. Less-than-containerload service is available.
As Eternity Grand Logistics is responsible for ARE's management, the company is also an authorised agent that can sell services under the ARE brand.
"We don't have any stake in ARE as wejoined hands with it for only the purpose of business cooperation," Poonsak said.
Doing business with ARE would help the company strengthen its network especially in Indochina, he said.
Eternity Grand Logistics is a medium-sized company listed on the Market for Alternative Investment. Its books were not as pretty as expected after diversifying via a joint venture into coal trading a few years ago.
The company posted a huge profit drop of 98 per cent on year to Bt230,000 in the first quarter, due partly to a coal inventory burden, besides the shrinkage in demand for shipments in the wake of the economic crisis. Revenue also saw a 34.77-per-cent drop on year to Bt210.19 million in the first quarter.
"Now we're repositioning ourselves by focusing on only our core logistics and related services after making an exit from the coal trading business three months ago," Poonsak said
As the company has no experience in coal trading, it could not generate income well, he said.
The company would employ its imported coal storage and distribution centre on 100 rai of land in Nakhon Laung, ayutthaya, to provide coal warehousing and distributing services to energy firms such as Unique Mining Services, Asia Green and Banpu.
The company's first-half sales of Bt466.35 million were substantially behind its target of Bt1.2 billion for this full-year.
"Anyway, we still keep our sales target with no revision," he said. Firsthalf net profit was Bt2.89 million, down from Bt48.58 million last year.
To boost sales in this half, the company would extend its capability to provide multi-modal transport services using road and rail, with the focus on import and export shipments.
The company is now doing trials for shipments in the automobile, food and agricultural industries and expects to launch full services this year. It will also expand into new markets with potential for growth such as oil and ethanol, as there is still demand.
Worst is over, local operators believe
Thailand's logistics business is expected to lose 25% in value this year from 700 billion baht in 2008 but local operators are upbeat about the outlook going forward, saying shipment volumes have rebounded significantly over the past three months.
Outbound marine shipments slid by 10% from May to July compared to the same period of last year, said Suwit Ratanachinda. president of the Thai International Freight Forwarders Association.
The latest figure showed an improvement from the year-on-year contraction of 25-30% seen in the first four months,thanks to the rebounding world economy, Mr Suwit said.
Marine transport accounts for 90%of Thailand's export shipments, which were still down 26% on a yearly basis in July, according to the Commerce Ministry.
"We have seen outbound shipments of electronic components and automobiles but not that much, while those of agricultural products and consumer goods have bounced back sharply," Mr Suwit said.
"We are hoping that outbound volume could turn positive year-on-year in the last two months as long as nothing unexpected happens."
However, the figure for all of 2009 would still be down 25% due to a sharp decline in the early part of the year, he said.
Tanit Sorat, chairman of the Feder-ation of Thai Industries'(FTI) logistics industry club, shared the same view,citing an expected gradual local economic recovery.
Thailand's gross domestic product is estimated to have contracted by no more than 4% in the second quarter, with a contraction of 3% forecast in the third quarter before resuming the growth of 2.5% in the final quarter, based on forecasts by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB).
The NESDB is scheduled to release official second-quarter GDP figures today.
However, Mr Tanit said rising oil prices, now back above $70 per barrel and with a forecast to top $80 by yearend, could threaten the logistics industry's prospects and the economy in general."We need to make sure that smallscale operators could have access to low-interest rate loans; thus they can withstand the financial difficulties and not be forced out of business," he said.
Both Mr Suvit and Mr Tanit also agreed that local logistics operators have to be better protected when the sector is liberalised under the Asean Free Trade Area framework. Starting next year, logistics operators from other Southeast Asian countries would be allowed to hold majority stakes of 51% in Thai companies.
The Asean shareholding would be lifted to 70% three years later.
Mr Suwit said his organisation was working with the Commerce Ministry on measures to help strengthen the industry to cope with intensified competition after liberalisation.
Outbound marine shipments slid by 10% from May to July compared to the same period of last year, said Suwit Ratanachinda. president of the Thai International Freight Forwarders Association.
The latest figure showed an improvement from the year-on-year contraction of 25-30% seen in the first four months,thanks to the rebounding world economy, Mr Suwit said.
Marine transport accounts for 90%of Thailand's export shipments, which were still down 26% on a yearly basis in July, according to the Commerce Ministry.
"We have seen outbound shipments of electronic components and automobiles but not that much, while those of agricultural products and consumer goods have bounced back sharply," Mr Suwit said.
"We are hoping that outbound volume could turn positive year-on-year in the last two months as long as nothing unexpected happens."
However, the figure for all of 2009 would still be down 25% due to a sharp decline in the early part of the year, he said.
Tanit Sorat, chairman of the Feder-ation of Thai Industries'(FTI) logistics industry club, shared the same view,citing an expected gradual local economic recovery.
Thailand's gross domestic product is estimated to have contracted by no more than 4% in the second quarter, with a contraction of 3% forecast in the third quarter before resuming the growth of 2.5% in the final quarter, based on forecasts by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB).
The NESDB is scheduled to release official second-quarter GDP figures today.
However, Mr Tanit said rising oil prices, now back above $70 per barrel and with a forecast to top $80 by yearend, could threaten the logistics industry's prospects and the economy in general."We need to make sure that smallscale operators could have access to low-interest rate loans; thus they can withstand the financial difficulties and not be forced out of business," he said.
Both Mr Suvit and Mr Tanit also agreed that local logistics operators have to be better protected when the sector is liberalised under the Asean Free Trade Area framework. Starting next year, logistics operators from other Southeast Asian countries would be allowed to hold majority stakes of 51% in Thai companies.
The Asean shareholding would be lifted to 70% three years later.
Mr Suwit said his organisation was working with the Commerce Ministry on measures to help strengthen the industry to cope with intensified competition after liberalisation.
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