Japanese Demand Grows For Thai Robotic Industry

MK restaurants in Thailand plans to use the robots as gimmicks to entertain customers and do repetitive jobs such as welcoming customers beginning mid 2010. MK has purchased 10 robots valued at 1 million baht each.

The Japan Robot Association estimates that by 2025 the robot market worth US$66.4 billion, with service robots at about US$50 billion. Taiwan's Industrial Development Bureau predicts that by 2020 the market value for all types robots will lie at $1.4 trillion which will be more than the worldwide car market.

Chalermpon Punnotok, chief executive of CT Asia Robotics,plans to rapidly expand his output focusing on Japan."At 46%, Japan has the largest demand for robots in the world. We envision one robot per house by 2019, which will occur in countries with high wages such as Japan.The number of Japanese elderly will increase rapidly, so we are planning robots that will look after the elderly," he said.

He also plans to launch an interactive edutainment robot during the end of next year for placement in museums, schools and at TK Park.

Science and Technology Minister Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich said 'Thailand has many talented robotic engineers, but no outlet for them show off their talents.

They are either hired by the Japanese because they can pay them a lower wage, or they are jobless," she said.

Now that MK restaurants have stepped in Thailandcan retain these highly skilled people.

Rit Thirakomen, president of MK Restaurant Co."The reason why we are co-operating with CT is because many Thai universities produce high-quality robotic engineers, but there are no jobs because there is not a market, so we provided one. It might not significantly increase the number of children visiting MK, but the kids there will be happier,"

The National Innovation Agency of Thailand provided 1.8 million baht of the 3 million total for the prototype development by Thai robotic engineers.