Neutral and Safe Space for Political and Social Expression

Thammsat University has been recognized as an open space for political and social movement since the founding of university. Students, Academias, Staffs have freedom to express different ideas or opinions toward political and social issues, There are many public seminars or open discussions organized by students or professors regularly. 

More importantly as the political tension in Thailand has been developing, Thammasat University Council, the highest governing body of the university, officially announced that the university accepts and protects the right to freedom of expression and adhere to the peaceful approach. The announcement was made after Thammasat student protest explicitly called for the reform of the royal institution on August 10, 2020.

Any public discussion, not to mention criticism, related to the monarchy has been a taboo in Thai society since the 1976 student massacre. Therefore the announcement of the university council showed the commitment of Thammasat University for being a neutral and safe space for expression.

Please see related documents and websites below:

‘สภาฯ ธรรมศาสตร์’ แถลงการณ์ 4 จุดยืนกรณีชุมนุม 10 ส.ค.

Examples of such seminars are the followings:

Thammasat Childhood Development Center

Since 1999, faculty of nursing, Thammasat University, has established Childhood Development Center to be an operational facility for nursing students and provide related public services as a childcare facility for Thammasat University staff who have children and for communities nearby. Even students who have babies and want to continue studying can also used the childcare service.

The center takes care of children at the age of 6 weeks until 3 years old or before entering preschool. It also plays role as a research center on childhood development and provide related academic services.

please see more details in the website:

เกี่ยวกับศูนย์พัฒนาเด็กปฐมวัย

https://mgronline.com/onlinesection/detail/9620000084704

เกี่ยวกับศูนย์พัฒนาเด็กปฐมวัย

Krabi Goes Green

Thammasat University, by researchers from Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, led a research team whose members include not only academics but also non-governmental organizations, local administrative organizations, and communities, to study a city model run by renewable energy. The report provides policy recommendations for sustainability transition in the energy sector in Krabi province and the Southern region of Thailand.

Please see the full report here:

krabi-goes-greenDownload

Executive Summary

Renewable energy development is strongly associated with some of the key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations in 2015. This report aims to show the results and findings of a study done on electricity consumption and genera- tion plans in Thailand’s Krabi Province during the next 20 years (2018-2037). The report attempts to prove that it is possible for Krabi to build an electricity supply system based completely on renewable energies in the near future.

In the analyses leading to the preparation of this report, the electricity generation potential of five renewable energy sources, namely modern biomass, biogas, solar, wind, and mini-hydropower were studied, based on which an electricity generation plan was formulated using a systematic and an evidence-based approach. The analysis consists of two parts: (1) Hourly demand of electricity over a one week period of each month for 20 years (2018-2037) (2) Capacity to deliver the hourly supply of electricity over the same period from each of the renewable sources.

The following assumptions were con- sidered for the study: (1) The grid operator
is capable of planning and controlling the electricity generation of all power plants in Krabi (2) Excess electricity energy can always be exported to nearby provinces (3) There is decisive political will, supportive government policies and regulations on renewable energy, and (4) The electricity grid has no limitations on energy carrying capacity.

The study projects a total electricity generation potential of 1,676 MW (installed capacity) from all five renewable energy sources. An hourly simulation of electricity generation shows that Krabi will achieve it’s 100% renewable energy goal by 2026, provided that the renewable energy development is well supported at its suitable growth rate. By 2021, Krabi will start to be 100% dependent on renewable energy for at least two hours a day.

Despite the fact that the total annual costs of renewable energy generation and energy efficiency scenario is higher than that of coal or natural gas during the initial period, it is considerably lower when taking into account a cost-benefit projection over a long term of 20 years.

By adopting a 100% renewable energy province-wide model of sustainability, Krabi can benefit at both socio-economic and environmental fronts including lower import burden, a higher contribution to economic growth, higher employment, as well as lower GHG emission.

Krabi’s successful transition to an electricity supply system based on renewable energies will require a pragmatic public policy that (1) Prioritises renewable energy to be fed into the grid prior to the fossil energy counterpart (2) Incentivising renewable energy at a proper rate that balances the electricity cost regulation and investment (3) Reorienting the state enterprises related to electricity generation systems to espouse a renewable energy mindset and (4) Development and modernisation of smart grids and efficient electricity management systems at grid level.

Thammasat Campuses and Renewable Energy Policy

Thammasat University has four campuses, located in different region, Tha Prachan Campus in Bangkok, Rangsit Campus in Pathumthani, Pattaya Campus in Chonburi, and Lampang Campus in Lampang.

Thammasat has planned to use renewable energy in all campuses , for saving electricity bill, to be learning centers in different regions. Thammasat would also like to be the study center for everyone can come and get the knowledge or to participate in many interesting workshops on clean energy technology.

Please see the related document here:

7.4.4-mou-tu-and-egatDownload

THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY MOVE TOWARDS TO SMART UNIVERSITY

Thammasat University is moving closer to its goals set in the 12th Thammasat University Strategic Plan (2017-2021), focusing on the development of education that ‘responds to’ the future and pursuing ‘the best sustainable and smart university’ strategy.

Consequently, the university has prioritized its new role to create and promote ‘participation in the holistic environmental conservation’, connecting the way of life of more than 40,000 people living in the campus to the use of ‘Circular Living’ resources.

Assoc. Prof. Gesinee Witoonchart, Rector of Thammasat University, reveals that Thammasat University is an educational institution with a vision to become a full-fledged sustainable university in which students, staffs, lecturers, and all administrators are altogether the drivers of this campaign.

As a result, Thammasat University is currently considered as a good ‘model’ for others in Thai society.

“The key in moving towards to ‘Smart University’ of Thammasat University is to create balance and sustainability for the society by reducing the use of energy, introduce alternatives for renewable energy through the Smart Energy Project, Smart Transportation Project, Waste Management Project, and reduce the use of plastic,” Gesinee said.

In this regard, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, has initiated the Solar Rooftop installation project with an objective to generate electricity at 10 megawatts or one in third of the amount of electricity used in the campus. Also, within the year 2020, all electrical equipment will be changed to energy saving, reducing the use of electricity by another 30%.

Recently, the shop namely ‘Term Tem Refill Shoppe’ has been opened in Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, to offer bulk stores service, where users must carry their own packaging. Under the “Zero Waste” target to reduce waste to zero, this policy has encouraged our human resources to change their behavior, leading to the environmental preservation for this world.

Prof. Parinya Thewanaruemitkul, Vice Rector of Thammasat University for Administration and Sustainability, Rangsit Campus, said that the ‘Term Tem Refill Shoppe‘ shop project is one of tangible examples to show our commitment to reduce the use of energy because the product with a single-use plastic container consumes energy in production process, which more than 80% of the fuel come from fossils, heating the planet. Therefore, the refusing to the use since the beginning or reducing the use of plastic will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will not create the waste disposal burden at the same time.

The ‘Term Tem Refill Shoppe’ consists of coffee shop, which does not use any plastic in any process and use only environmentally friendly containers. Meanwhile, the shop is a convenient store selling a variety of foods and goods to students and staffs of the university with no use of plastic bags.

Moreover, the university has also concerned with the zero-emission transportation system, without carbon dioxide emission. “We have already pushed forward the use of bicycles, electric scooter, and will soon kick off the electric vehicles (EV) project under the car sharing or carpool concept,” Parinya said.

The pilot project on ‘Green Space Add up‘ to absorb carbon dioxide, the remodeling the ‘deck‘ area of the building as a ‘chemical-free vegetable plot’ will be held at the ‘100-Year Puey Learning Park Building‘ in December 2019. Under the ‘Waste Management’ project, all convenience stores in the campus are now stop using single-use plastic containers, and will discontinue the plastic bags under every condition on January 1, 2020.

Dr. Parinya said that the important mission of the university is to achieve the ‘Sustainable Development Goals: SDGs’ as the most urgent issue on the chapter 13 on Climate Action, which aims to reduce global warming, resulting in Zero Carbon by 100% within seven years.

“Thammasat has shown the intention to raise awareness and change the attitude towards sustainability of students, lecturers, personnel, as well as general people to turn to pay attention to the environment through various policies. Finally, Thammasat University has become a leader in sustainable management in the educational institute,” he said.

With the university’s vision and cooperation of all parties, Thammasat University has created an environmentally friendly network and is moving towards a sustainable educational institution – a Smart University of the future.

Please see the original post here: https://tu.ac.th/en/thammasat-go-smart-university

Learning from Thammasat: Sustainable Energy Options

Since Thammasat at Rangsit has installed solar panel for producing renewable energy, Thammasat has welcomed many groups from scholar, government and private sectors to learn about how and why Thammasat has chosen to operate this renewable energy in campus.

Thammasat Researchers also work on renewable energy options for vehicles in logistics. More specifically, the researchers from faculty of science and technology, Tanit Ruangrungchaikul and Sunan Aumkratum, developed “Multipurpose Three-Wheel Solar Mini Truck”.

In 2019, Assistant Profess Dr. Tanit Ruangrungchaikul also developed an affordable “Dual Axis Solar Tracking System”, which was selected to be one of the 50 innovations with commercialization potentials by the Department of Industry Promotion, Ministry of Industry. His invention was awarded Gold Medal in 45th International Exhibition of Invention of Geneva, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Please see related documents here:

7.4.3-sustainable-university-1Download
“Multipurpose Three-Wheel Solar Mini Truck” – researchDownload

Thammasat Pattaya’s EECmd Project – Smart Campus and Medical Hub

According to Assoc.Prof.Gasinee Witoonchart, Rector of Thammasat University, and Assoc.Prof.Md.Kammal Kummar Pawa, Vice Rector for Special Affairs, the future goal of Thammasat University, Pattaya campus is to become a Medical Hub, have Digital Hospital driven by AI, and to become a Smart Campus.

Dr. Nattadon Pannucharoenwong, Assistant to the Rector for Administration, Thammasat University Pattaya campus, reveals that “Thai medical services are growing steadily, thus Thammasat University, Pattaya Campus aims to become an Academic Hub, a Medical Hub and a Service Hub for a full range of medical services.”

“Plus, we aim to establish strategies to become an i-Campus @Pattaya. For example, we will create a smart bus stop, smart trash can with a sensor system, use electric vehicles (EV), produce pure energy with Solar Roof and Float Solar cells, and be a Smart Campus model that will be a Paperless Campus in the future,” Dr Nattadon adds.

Thammasat University Hospital, Pattaya campus, is located on “EECmd, Thammasat University, Pattaya campus”. The university’s goal is to be a digital hospital and use software such as patient application, Telecare, electronic medical record, Beacon system @ Wifi with queuing system and patient service system.

The hospital will adopt IOT (Internet of Things) and medical AI like robotics to give patient service instead of non-skill labors. In the future, the university also plans to establish a Medical Robot training center to support diploma courses from Chulabhorn International College of Medicine.

Dr. Nattadon Pannucharoenwong also explains that the operation of Smart Campus or Smart City consists of Smart Environment, Smart Energy, Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart People.

The teaching section will focus on the Advance Digital Learning Environment and providing international courses and bilingual courses in Medical Science, Engineering, and Science, and Technology. The variety of courses intends produce efficient personnel into the labor market in accordance with being “EECmd Thammasat University Pattaya campus”.

The Faculty of Science and Technology will be responsible for teaching and learning basic courses. For the internships, Thammasat University will send students for internships in organizations and agencies in the Eastern region.

Moreover, it was planned to establish Thammasat University, Pattaya campus, to be a regional examination center for various examinations by cooperating with other organizations.

The academic cooperation and development of cooperation in various forms with external agencies are still in the process of discussing and preparing a memorandum of cooperation.

GISTDA is cooperation on short-term course development, knowledge sharing, curriculum development, teaching and technology transfer, research and innovation that aims to develop manpower in the form of Re- skill, Up-skill, and New-Skill in response to the EEC.

DEPPA is for establishing a digital human development institute.

Rayong Hospital is cooperating on producing doctors and Doctor of Medicine programs with Chulabhorn International College of Medicine.

Thammasat University, Pattaya campus also aims to become a research center of excellence and social service in the Eastern region.

Please see the original article here.

30th Anniversary of the Department of Sustainable Development Technology

In April 2019, the Department of Sustainable Development Technology (SDT) organized the 30th Anniversary event of the SDT (previously Department of Rural Technology) in the theme of “The path of Dhamma, Self-sufficient innovation, and Sustainable Communities” from April 26-28, 2019.

Activities in the event included exhibitions, demonstrations, and seminars on the following topics: smart farming, food safety, organic farming, health and well-being, yoga, alternative medical practices, alternative energies (solar energy, biofuel, etc.), disaster management, etc.

This activity was open for the general public, including rural communities, so as to transfer knowledge of the department to the public. The department also cooperated with Pathumthani province in organizing technology transfer workshop on solar energy during the event. See photos from the event here.

Please see the relevant documents below:

Thammasat Investing in Electric Vehicles for In-Campus Public Transportation

At Rangsit Campus, Thammasat has supported daily free service buses to officers and staffs for more than 20 years, including motorcycle taxi services for more than 15 years. And when Thammasat at Rangsit has stepped on sustainable campus, in 2019, everyone could find electric motorcycle services (both hire and taxi), where electricity for charging comes from solar panel.

This year, 2020, Thammasat has signed contract with private sector to build 10 electric buses for service in 10 routes every working days since mid-year 2021. This year also, it will have another contract with another private sector to build 20 electric shuttle buses for routine service in Rangsit Campus everyday from 0630 am to 2000 pm. This service will operate in mid-year 2021. This both cases, Thammasat will provide charging station, where electricity comes from both solar cell and electricity grid.

Please see related document here:

7.2.6-1-draft-detail-contract-20-ev-shuttle-busDownload