AsiaCongress Events Co., Ltd.
ITS 2009
PRESS RELEASE
PREPARED BY VERO PUBLIC RELATIONS

JUNE 2009

HARD ECONOMIC TIMES PLACE TRAFFIC CONGESTION SQUARELY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Bangkok to play host to international Intelligent Transport System Forum – ITS Asia Pacific 2009 – as world struggles to confront issue

Traffic congestion costs everyone money, making finding intelligent solutions to the challenge even more important than ever during the current world recession. Every second lost to traffic comes straight off the bottom of line of the world economy, further underlining the need to mitigate the issue.

Bangkok, one of the world’s capitals often synonymous with traffic, will play host from July 8-10 to one of the most dynamic initiatives in the global traffic sector, Intelligent Transport System Asia Pacific  2009, a forum and exhibition that will bring together the leaders in intelligent transport system research and development, as well as practices

Under the theme banner "Smart Move", ITS Asia Pacific 2009 will host top experts in the field of traffic planning and management from more than 20 countries. In addition, the very latest technologies will be on exhibit.

"For many people around the world the name Bangkok conjures up one word: traffic," said Dr. Sorawit  Narupiti; President of ITS Thailand

"That makes the hosting of ITS in downtown Bangkok an intelligent decision in itself," Mr.Jonathan Fretter ; Senior Project Manager of ITS Asia Pacific Event added.

"Thailand’s rapid economic growth in the past two decades has made traffic congestion one of the most pressing issues, and successive central governments and Bangkok city administrations have effectively made the capital an incubator for intelligent traffic solutions."

From in-car intelligent navigation systems to highly-complex traffic management platforms for entire metro-grids, ITS Asia 2009 will showcase innovation at work on the roads.

Headlining the technology theme will be a demonstration of a number of ITS research projects related to real-time Bangkok vehicle usage, traffic information exchange, Area Traffic Control System, Image Processing, and Traffic Radio Transmission.

Keynote speakers will include Mr Chullho Lieu, President of the Korea Expressway Corporation, on "ITS and Sustainable Mobility". The Chairman of ITS Japan, Mr Hiroyuki Watanabe, will deliver a paper entitled "Advancement of ITS in Japan".

The 10^th ITS Asia Pacific is being managed by AsiaCongress Events Co., Ltd and will be hosted by the ITS Association of Thailand. It will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.

Exhibitors from more than 30 countries will showcase state of the art technology including the latest in-car navigation aids and traffic management and security systems. Several hundred delegates have registered to attend.

The comprehensive conference agenda includes lectures and workshops led by top international ITS professionals focusing on issues and updates on Traffic Management and Control, including Incident Management and Traffic Regulation and Enforcement. Presentations on Traveller Information covering Route guidance and navigation, Location-based services, Multimodal Information and Commercial Vehicles will highlight the sessions. Other topics include Fleet Management, Public Transport Management and Safety and Emergency Management.

NOTE TO EDITORS

AsiaCongress Events Co., Ltd. is a Professional Conference and Exhibition Organizer (PCO/PEO) and works on behalf of associations, government organizations, industrial sectors and individual companies throughout Asia. Its portfolio focuses on sectors that include: Energy, Infrastructure, Water, Cleaning and Environment. AsiaCongress operates in Thailand, as well as, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, India, Vietnam, The Philippines and China.

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau
Statement on the Recent Political Situation in Thailand
For Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions Delegates
17th April 2009

On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) as the official organization to attract Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions fully appreciates the concerns you have raised over the current situation in Thailand of the recent political developments. The safety and security of our guests are our foremost concern.

We would like to inform you that regarding a severe emergency situation declared in Bangkok and its vicinities on 12 April 2009 in response to demonstrations which were organized by the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the protesters ended their demonstrations near Government House and other locations around Bangkok.

As of 14 April 2009, the situation has returned to normal with the Government firmly in control with peaceful resolution.   

Business and mass transportation go on as usual and traffic is flowing normally in the capital. MICE events due to be held in Thailand will proceed according to schedule.  All MICE venues, hotels, public and private organizations, shopping centres and restaurants are operating normally.

We at TCEB, on behalf of the government and our private sectors in the MICE Industry, will do our utmost to provide assistance to all delegates. We are sure you will take this opportunity during your stay to enjoy Thailand’s legendary hospitality to the full.

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to call TCEB office:  +(... , visit www.tceb.or.th or contact info@tceb.or.th. TCEB office is located at Siam Tower 26 Floor, 989 Rama I Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

Additional information for tourists is available at the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Call Centre at 1672 or  +(66) 2... and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Emergency Coordinating Centre at  +(66) 25751036 .

Intelligent Transport System Conference in Bangkok Announces Call for Papers

10 March 2009, Bangkok, Thailand – AsiaCongress Events Co., Ltd. and the ITS Association of Thailand (ITS Thailand) announced today the "Call for Papers" for the upcoming 10th ITS (Intelligent Transport System) Asia Pacific Forum & Exhibition to be held on 8th to 10th of July 2009 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

The 10th ITS Asia Pacific Forum & Exhibition is billed as the "Smart Move" conference and focuses on intelligent ways of traveling which include the aspects of mobility, comfort, safety, efficiency and environment-friendly transportation. This conference aims to provide a leading edge forum for academic researchers as well as industry executives and experts to present and discuss novel developments in ITS applications and deployment aspects.

ITS AP 2009 invites authors of original research work and studies to submit papers for the conference. The conference agenda will discuss issues and updates on Traffic Management and Control including Incident Management and Traffic Regulation and Enforcement. Presentations on Traveler Information covering Route guidance and navigation, Location-based services, Multimodal Information and Commercial Vehicle will highlight the sessions. Other topics include Fleet Management, Public Transport Management and Safety and Emergency Management. Moreover, policy and implementation issues will be presented by executives from various Asian Pacific economies. Deadline for submission of abstracts or full papers is set on 31 March 2009.

"As part of the ITS Asia Pacific community, the ITS Association of Thailand is honored to facilitate the economy members to come and attend the ITS Asia Pacific Conference and Exhibition in Bangkok. Given the unique and comfortable lifestyle of most major cities in Asia, the event will also feature the ITS technology conference and exhibition under the theme of "Smart Move", which will feature the application usage of ITS technologies for smart way of transport," says Dr.Sorawit Narupiti, President of ITS Thailand.

For further details and information, please contact: Telephone:  +66 (2)748 7880  Email: its09@asiacongress.com or visit www.its-ap2009.in.th

For Media/Press Inquiries, please contact:
Amante C. Amante, Jr. (Wan)
1122 Asia (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
E: 1122publicist@gmail.com
HP:  +668...

Real-time traffic information to be pooled, analysed and sold

By Asina Pornwasin
The Nation
Published on January 13, 2009

New system aims to inform drivers through many electronic channels

In an attempt to achieve a better traffic flow in Bangkok, two leading technology-based organisations are to gather real-time traffic information from many official sources and combine it into a new system aimed at assisting motorists driving on the streets of the capital.

The pilot project, to be called the Traffic Information Centre, is to be implemented by the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Thailand Association and the National Electronic and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec).

The concept is to offer travellers real-time traffic information so they can choose the best routes for city journeys. The centre will pool traffic-related information supplied by partner organisations. This information will be blended, analysed and offered to travellers in real-time, via many devices and channels.

The director of Nectec's Intelligent Transportation System programme, Passakon Prathombutr, who is also vice president of the ITS Thailand Association, said the new centre's servers, run by the association, would receive traffic information from organisations including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT), Don Mueang Tollway, the Traffic Police, and the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP).

The BMA's real-time traffic-flow information is captured by 150 cameras located in most of Bangkok's main roads. This "raw material" information shows the real-time occupancy ratio in surrounding streets, 24 hours a day, he said.

Moreover, Don Mueang Tollway will provide information recorded by sensors at the expressway's entrances, counting the number of vehicles and analysing the flow and density of traffic. The Expressway Authority will also provide information from 15 cameras at the gates of the Dao Kanong-Tarue tollway.

All of the data will be blended, analysed and presented as ready-for-use traffic information, covering both the real-time situation and traffic incident information. It will be offered in a wide range of formats including text, maps, graphics and voice.

The ITS Thailand Association will act as operator of the new Traffic Information Centre to co-ordinate with suppliers of traffic information and to oversee the pooling and integration of information as well as analysing and delivering it in a ready-for-use format for Bangkok's drivers.

"Our role is to oversee the standardisation of location references into a format of point, link and area; message codes, data exchange protocols and maps," Passakon said.

The completed real-time information will be disseminated by a group of organisations acting as traffic information distributors.

"For example, Taxi radio stations can be one traffic information distributor. Instead of collecting data and developing their own traffic-information systems, taxi radio stations can partner with ITS Thailand to distribute information to their networks of taxi drivers," Passakon said.

Mobile phone operators are also expected to become partners of the new centre, to provide traffic information via cellphones, and newly-established companies providing paid services to drivers with in-car navigation systems are also expected to join the new system.

At present, the centre is in the process of studying both the technological feasibility of the system and its marketing possibilities. The pilot system is expected to be up and running and showcased in the 10th ITS Asia Pacific Smart Move fair, to be held in Bangkok in July this year.

Under present plans, the pilot project will run for one year. Then, the new Traffic Information Centre will complete its business model and become a commercial service.

During the pilot period, people can access a sample of the centre's traffic information by visiting www.traffic.thai.net, or www.traffic.nectec.or.th.