Thailand Strengthens Global Academic Presence: IEEE Thailand Section Leads Flagship International Conference Initiative

[30/11/2024] The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Thailand (IEEE Thailand Section), under the leadership of its current president, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Supavadee Aramvith, along with 10 partner organizations, has established a significant collaboration to support Thailand’s bid to host IEEE flagship international conferences. IEEE, which oversees more than 2,200 conferences annually and attracts over 600,000 participants worldwide across more than 100 countries, has received official backing from the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), led by Ms. Jittanan Techasarin, Director of the Conventions Department on behalf of Mr. Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of TCEB.

The announcement was made on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at Salon A, 2nd Floor, Swissotel Bangkok Ratchada. This initiative demonstrates Thailand’s readiness to be a global hub for hosting high-caliber international academic conferences.

Ms. Jittanan Techasarin, Director of the Conventions Department at TCEB, emphasized, "TCEB's primary mission is to promote high-quality international academic conferences and ensure that Thailand is fully prepared and capable of hosting large-scale events. These conferences not only inject significant revenue into the national economy but also boost the tourism industry, as participants often travel with their families, creating long-term positive impacts on the economy and Thailand’s global image."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Supavadee Aramvith, President of the IEEE Thailand Section, and leader of this collaborative initiative, stated, "Bidding for flagship academic conferences is a vital investment for the future, both academically and economically. These conferences are highly rigorous, attracting thousands of international participants. Successfully hosting such events in Thailand requires a robust national and international network. Recently, we successfully secured three IEEE flagship conferences for Thailand with the continued support of TCEB: the IEEE PES GTD Conference and Exposition Asia 2025, to be held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center; the IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE); and the IEEE International Conference on Multimedia and Expo (ICME) in Bangkok on 2026. These events are expected to draw over 10,000 global participants."

Dr. Thepchai Sapnithi, President of the Artificial Intelligence Association of Thailand (AIAT), added, "Thailand’s strategic location and excellent connectivity make it a prominent hub. Hosting flagship academic conferences requires strong collaboration both locally and internationally, along with support from organizations like TCEB. TCEB plays a critical role in showcasing Thailand's capabilities and strengths to the global community. Flagship conferences provide opportunities for researchers to present their work on a grand stage, building regional and international academic networks."

This collaborative network includes

1. the IEEE Thailand Section,

2. the Council of IT Deans of Thailand (CITT),

3. the Artificial Intelligence Association of Thailand (AIAT),

4. the Electrical Engineering Academic Association of Thailand (EEAAT),

5. the Thai Biomedical Engineering Association (Thai BME),

6. the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA),

7. the Electrical, Electronics, Computer, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Association of Thailand (ECTI),

8. the Thai Embedded Systems Association (TESA),

9. the Big Data Institute (Public Organization) (BDI),

10. the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT),

11. the Thai Health Tech Association (THTA).

This collaboration aims to position Thailand as a host for flagship international conferences in engineering and technology, offering a global platform to showcase groundbreaking research and innovations. The primary goal is to enhance the capabilities of researchers and academics in the Asia-Pacific region, directly contributing to the advancement of Thailand's competitiveness in high-tech industries. Additionally, hosting such large-scale academic conferences stimulates local economies in the event regions, further boosting Thailand’s economic growth and global academic presence.