Among specific topics discussed on the three-day trip was the feasibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles, otherwise known as drones, to assist in various issues in Phuket, such as taking care of tourists and residents and dealing with traffic.
Kongsak Koophongsakorn, President of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, led the delegation at the end of March, which also included Phuket Vice Governor Norasak Suksomboon, who had been nominated to the task by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat.
Also representing Phuket on the trip were: Pol. Maj. Gen. Sinlert Sukhum, Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police; Pol. Col. Teerawat Liamsuwan, Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police; Pol. Col. Phasakorn Sonthikul, Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police; Akarawat Sirithanthanakorn, Permanent Secretary of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO); Thanusak Puengdet, Executive Director of the Thai Chamber of Commerce; Thammawat Wongcharoenyot, President of the Sports Association of Phuket; and Amornchai Wang, Advisor to the Phuket Chamber of Commerce.
On the morning of Mar 24 the delegation was warmly welcomed in Chengdu by Mr Tai Zhijian, Chairman of the Executive Board of Hainan Hongli Technology Company Limited, who led the group on a tour of the Ursa Aeronautioal Technology Company in Deyang to visit Tianyu Aviation, a large drone production factory.
Following a welcome ceremony by the company’s management team, a presentation on the company and its products was delivered to the visiting Thai officials.
In the afternoon the group visited Hongyuan Aviation Power Manufacturing and Hainan Hongli Technology, two local companies that are regarded as industry leaders in the production of aircraft engine parts and components.
General Manager of Hainan Hongli Technology, Nina Wang, explained that her company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Chengdu, with several subsidiaries throughout China.
The high-tech company manufactures and sells drones, aerospace engines and flight control systems to both the public and private sectors, and their products are especially popular with customers in the agricultural industry, and with government departments focused on immigration, border patrol and natural disaster relief.
Ms Wang also explained that the company is also a pioneer of integrated air, space and ground Artifical Intelligence (AI) command and control platforms and was responsible for manufacturing the world’s first vehicle-mounted intelligent drone system.
Following the tour and the presentation, commemorative gifts were distributed to all of the visiting Thai party.
The delegation then visited Chengdu Timestake Technology Co Ltd, for a physical demonstration of the drones, where Vice Governor Norasak and Pol. Maj. Gen. Sinlert both took the opportunity to operate drones from a booth in the company’s laboratory.
On day two (Mar 25), the group visited the smart city project in the nearby city Chongzhou whee representatives from the Jinyun Big Data Company gave a series of presentations and lectures on how they had successfully implemented modern technology to systematically manage the city’s operations, including in relation to tourism.
Day 3 of the trip (Mar 26) saw the group travel to Sichuan province to visit the Sichuan Regional Cooperation Development Headquarters Building, where they were greeted by Liu Zheng, Deputy Mayor of Dazhou Municipality who also serves as the Chairman of the Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce.
Also present to welcome the Thai visitors were: Su Tao, Section Head from the Dazhou Municipality government office; Liu Jiangdong, Chairman of the Dasang Chamber of Commerce; and Zheng Quan Guo, Executive Chairman and Secretary of the Dasang Chamber of Commerce.
Among the topics of discussion between the two groups were cooperation on trade and investment as well as the dual promotion of each location.
The Thai group then visited Chongqing Tuohang Technology Co Ltd, who specialise in the research, development and production of twin-rotor prototype drones that are typically used to transport heavy industrial goods.
A visit was made to the site factory where a comprehensive demonstration of the drone’s capabilities was given by way of a mock scenario where emergency goods were needed to be shipped to a disaster zone.
It was further explained that Chongqing is the largest metropolis in China, covering an area of 82,300 square kilometers, is one of four cities under direct control of the central government and possesses the fifth largest economy on the mainland, after Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
The trip was deemed a success by officials in building and strengthening relations between Thailand and China and it was confirmed that future exchanges between the two would be arranged in due course.