New technologies for real-time vehicle tracking will play a big role in lowering expensive logistics costs, improving transport management and the country’s competitiveness, according to the National Innovation Agency (NIA).
Logistics costs as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in Thailand are as high as 19%, compared with 9.4% in the United States and single digits or low double digits in many other developed countries.
Given that Thailand relies on exports for more than 60% of its GDP, logistics costs are far too high, industry leaders have said for years.
The NIA has supported researchers pursuing innovations to reduce costs, a notable example being B-Move, which was a co-developed by Southeast Asia Technology Co and Burapha University’s Logistics Department.
The system, is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) for tracking vehicles to monitor transport.
“The technology can not only be adapted to use in transport management in order to raise the efficiency of transport but also to lower transport costs and save time,” said Supachai Lorlowhakarn, the NIA director.
It can also be used in public transport for managing bus schedules and routes.
A tag installed on each vehicle sends signals to RFID readers placed in telephone booths, which act as receivers. The information is then transferred to a control centre through an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line or ADSL, which sends data over copper telephone lines faster than a conventional voiceband modem can provide.
The NIA underwrote half of the project’s cost of 3.12 million baht.
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