National Points of Contact
Thailand
Pathara Limsira	Ravit Sachasiri
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SGAC Thailand

Welcome to the page of SGAC Thailand, the land of thousand smiles! We use the word “Sawasdee / สวัสดี” for greeting and “Awagrad / อวกาศ” for space. You have found the right spot if you are interested in Space-related subjects in Thailand, and we hope that you will join our network. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us!

At the moment, Thailand does not have a single national space agency, but multiple space- related agencies. Thailand also lacks of space national legislation to implement obligations under space treaties signed by Thailand. However, the awareness for space is still high, and people are beginning to see beyond the image of “being an astronaut.” The importance of space is widely recognized among the youth and terms like NASA, space shuttle or GPS are normal topics of discussion among the youth. Young Thai students aspire to emulate heroes they see on television and among them – doctors, engineers and astronauts lead the pack. Thailand has been in Space for almost 20 years with the launch of the first Thai Communication Satellite – THAICOM I. Four more THAICOM satellites followed and in 2008, Thailand launched its first Earth Observation Satellite called Thailand Earth Observation System (THEOS) which is the first Earth Observation Satellite in South-East Asia. THEOS satellite has been used for natural resource management and natural disaster planning and mitigation. Yearly, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), the operator of THEOS, visits schools and universities as well as invite student to visit the THEOS ground station to interact with students on topics of remote sensing and satellite technology. The establishment of SGAC is still at the beginning stage, but we are very confident that Thailand can progress brightly into the future!

Young Space Activities Overview in Thailand

NPoC Ravit at Control Ground Segment of THEOS Control Center in Chonburi

Students in the Youth Space Camp 2010

NPoC Patthara at 7th UN Space Law Workshop 2010

Currently, space activities in Thailand are limited mainly to Government Agencies. However students groups and universities are now emerging in this field. Recently, the “Thailand Near Space Research Group” launched the first high altitude balloon with sensors and tracking devices in order to study the higher atmosphere. The project was self-funded and the students basically used their own funding and capabilities without external help. This shows the interests that Thai youth have on the final frontier - space.

Kasetsart University, one of the leading universities in Thailand is now offering courses in Aeronautical Engineering in both English and Thai. The King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) and its students are quite active in robotics competitions throughout the world and all these factors are favorable for a better future for the space industry in Thailand. The Asian Institute of Technology also holds an annual robotics competition which forms a base for robots that will be used for space exploration

Country-Specific Events in 2011

Interesting Web Links for the Young Generation in Thailand

Groups and Institutions