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Year: 2023

Bengawan Formula Student Team from UNS Wins Champion at FSAE Japan 2023

Posted on by Editorial Team

The Bengawan Formula Student Team, representing Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), recently secured 3rd place in the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) Award category at the annual FSAE Japan 2023 event. The competition, a spotlight for electric car enthusiasts and innovators, took place between 28 August and 2 September 2023. Organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc., the event saw participation from 77 teams across six nations: Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, and Taiwan.

FSAE Japan challenges participating teams to design and manufacture a formula race car. Tegar Aryoseno, the team leader and a student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, clarified the competition’s structure. According to him, the event was divided into static and dynamic segments. The static section focuses on business plans, cost and manufacturing reports, design presentations, and technical inspections. On the other hand, the dynamic events test the vehicles through acceleration, skid pad, autocross, endurance, and efficiency challenges.

An additional layer to this competition is the special award categories, with the CAE Awards being particularly notable. Designed to acknowledge teams that excel in using CAE technology for innovative and efficient designs, the CAE Awards stand as a testament to modern engineering’s prowess.

Aryoseno expressed profound joy and gratitude for the team’s victory, especially noting that the team had taken a three-year hiatus. “It’s a significant achievement for us. Even though we had a break for three years, we managed to stand out amongst 76 other teams from diverse universities and nations. The journey was demanding, yet, with unwavering support from UNS, our sponsors, and all associated parties, we emerged victorious,” he remarked.

Aryoseno further recognized the immense dedication and tireless effort of his team, which had been preparing for this competition throughout the past year. The team benefited from the expertise of their mentors: Professor Ubaidillah, Professor Agung Tri Wijayanta, and Professor Syamsul Hadi from the Faculty of Engineering.

The victory of the Bengawan Formula Student Team from UNS at the FSAE Japan 2023 reiterates the potential and brilliance of young engineers and offers a glimpse into the future of automotive innovation.

When an international student isn’t an international student

Posted on by Niamh Ollerton

The realities of international student visa fraud have caused many governments to start cracking down on unsuspecting prospective students and universities. The United States, Australia and Canada are some of the countries which have tightened their rules to deal with such cases.

The chance to be immersed in a new culture, learn a language or travel the world is understandably enticing. However, with international fees, cost of living increases and the expense of physically travelling to faraway lands, this dream isn’t always realised. But for the students that can take that leap of faith, the rewards, both for their personal and educational development, are endless.

However, not all students have genuine motivations to study abroad, with some students falsifying applications about their level of English and some abandoning their university studies altogether to pursue work. Other, unsuspecting students also become embroiled in fraudulent scams.

For example, the F-1 visa programme allowing international students to work at firms in the US after graduation has been exploited by fake companies providing false employment verifications, according to an NBC News/NBC Bay Area report.

Once they have obtained their professional degrees, students may remain in the US through the F-1 visa programme to get practical work experience. Although many students, schools and employers use the programme legitimately, a federal prosecution revealed the potential for fraud, with a defendant, the founder of bogus company ‘Findreams’, admitting in court papers she had provided false employment records for nearly 2,700 students.

Governments across the globe have become savvy to the lengths supposed students and fraudsters will go to commit visa fraud, and they are cracking down.

In August, the Australian government said it would close a loophole – effective immediately – in its visa rules which allowed international students to enrol for cheaper vocational courses as soon as they arrive in country. Through the ‘concurrent study’ rule, international students could undertake additional courses alongside their core studies, essentially helping students prepare for the job market through short courses.

However, recent investigations in the country found that many students were misusing the rule and dropping out of their university courses to permanently switch to cheaper ones. Data from the investigation found a sharp uptake in the use of concurrent study, with 17,000 concurrent enrolments created in the first half of 2023 versus 10,500 for the same period in 2019 and 2022 combined.

Education Minister Jason Clare said in a statement: “This change will work to stop predatory ‘second’ providers from enrolling students before they have studied for the required six months at their first provider.”

But this isn’t the only change the Australian government plans to make surrounding student visas. From October 1, 2023, the government will also increase the amount of savings international students will need to get a student visa. Depending on their institution and country of origin, foreign students will need to declare or provide evidence of having AU$24,505 (US$15,693) in savings, a 17 percent increase on current levels due to higher living expenses in the country.

Policing student visa applications is no easy task, and unfortunately, some prospective students attempt to trick the system to land a spot on a university programme with no intention of studying at all.

Read the full article from QS Insights Magazine, Issue 8. 

EdUHK Research on Developing and Validating a Student Feedback Literacy Scale

Posted on by eduhk

Although the importance of investigating the enabling role of student feedback literacy has been widely covered in the literature, a measurement instrument is still lacking. A study by Dr Jane Zhan Ying, Assistant Professor at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, used a construct validation approach to validate the self-developed student feedback literacy scale, with two types of examinations: within- and between-network examinations. Within-network examinations use reliability and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) to explore the dimensional structure of the scale. Between-network examination performs correlation analyses to investigate the correlation between the scale and other constructs theoretically related to the scale.

Previous research has found that at the very beginning of the feedback process, students must actively elicit feedback from others; comprehend the feedback received, judge its quality and extract information to enable subsequent action; and take actions to revise their work. Feedback can help them better understand their learning by identifying their learning strengths and weaknesses from the perspectives of others, learning from others, and enhancing their self-reflection. They must be emotionally ready to engage with feedback (readiness to engage). And they must devote their time and effort to making changes in their learning and strive to continuously improve by conquering difficulties and finding extra support or resources. Based on the literature review, the author constructed six dimensions of student feedback literacy: three related to the students’ capacity to elicit, process and enact feedback; and three related to the students’ disposition in terms of appreciation of feedback, readiness to engage and commitment to change.

In this study, the author issued the developed 24-item student feedback literacy questionnaire to 555 university student participants in mainland China to validate the scale. Both confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale was valid and that its structure was stable among students of different genders and in different majors. The between-network analysis presented a significant correlation between the six dimensions of student feedback literacy and students’ intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation.

Future studies could use the validated scale in this study to capture its temporal changes or explore the complex relationships between student feedback literacy and its influencing factors. It will enable higher-education teachers to systematically analyse student feedback literacy, such as the critical development period and possibly unbalanced development. This will help teachers reflect on their current feedback practices to see whether they create conditions conducive to the development of targeted aspects of student feedback literacy and what measures they can apply to facilitate its development.

ITS Students Gain International Recognition Through Internship in a Japanese Company

Posted on by ITS Global Engagement

Six students from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS Surabaya) are currently working as young engineers at the renowned shipyard company, Oshima Shipbuilding, one of Japan’s prestigious shipyard companies. The six ITS students are Jemima Audrey Natasha, Putra Nanda Kusuma, and Hans Dimitri from the Department of Naval Architecture, Hamzah Nur Azzam from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Galang Adi Saputro from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Agung Tuani Hartono Sihotang from the Department of Marine Engineering.

The head of the Department of Naval Architecture at ITS, Ir. Wasis Dwi Aryawan, M.Sc., Ph.D., explained that this internship program is a collaboration between the Department of Naval Architecture at ITS and the international company. Furthermore, Dr. Wasis mentioned that this program also offers opportunities to students from other departments. “This is in line with Oshima Shipbuilding’s request,” he stated. Therefore, a series of internal selections were conducted to identify the best-qualified students for this opportunity, led by Erzad Iskandar Putra, S.T., M.T., of the Student Advisory Team in the Department of Naval Architecture at ITS. Students from various departments competed for this opportunity through a selection process that included document screening and interviews with industry representatives, as Erzad explained.

Through this selection process, Erzad continued, six ITS students were ultimately chosen to participate in a one-month internship program in Japan. They departed on August 19, and by now, these six students have gained valuable knowledge and received positive evaluations from the company. “In fact, we have received news that they will be permanently employed there,” he exclaimed. During this internship program, the students have also received a salary and living allowances in Japan. Although they had to complete the internship for one month, they were also given the opportunity to attend their graduation ceremony at ITS in mid and late September.

In this regard, Dr. Wasis expressed his pride. According to him, this opportunity is proof that ITS graduates have internationally recognized competencies. Not only that, through this internship program, it is hoped that knowledge exchange can contribute to advancing the shipbuilding industry in Indonesia. In conclusion, Dr. Wasis hopes that this program will continue in the future. He believes that, in addition to the benefits mentioned above, this program can also enhance the branding of ITS and demonstrate that its graduates possess skills equivalent to those in other developed countries. Dr. Wasis also hopes that this program will not only focus on the shipbuilding industry but also extend to other industries.

KATRU, SAAS sign comprehensive Agri-MoU under ‘One Belt-One Road’ initiative

Posted on by Muhammad Sheraz

A new milestone was achieved under China’s ’One Belt – One Road’ initiative when the Kazakh capital’s oldest university, the Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University (KATRU) in Astana, and the Government of Shandong Province agreed on close and comprehensive cooperation in various areas of the food and agriculture sector. The mutual collaboration will include the establishment of joint Agrotechnical parks, research centers, mutual technology and expertise transfers, application of Chinese processing technologies, and cultivation methods in Kazakhstan as well as the introduction of each other’s agriculture varieties in both countries.

A detailed MoU between KATRU, also known as Seifullin University and Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS) was signed in Kazakhstan’s largest city and business hub, Almaty, in the presence of Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Karashukeev and Mr. Lin Wu, the Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Province.

KATRU Rector Professor Kanat Maratovich Tireuov and China’s Party Secretary of the SAAS, Mr. Liang Jinguang, signed the MoU.

“Based on the agricultural technology advantages of the two sides, research institutes in wheat, corn, sleep, cotton, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine, agricultural processing, and other fields will be established to conduct joint research and promote demonstrations,” reads one clause of the MoU.

As the MOU between KATRU and SAAS was signed in Almaty, a large delegation of the Shandong Provincial government led by Tian Weidun, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Dezhou City, Shandong, visited KATRU’s main campus in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

Shandong is a coastal province in Eastern China, a well-developed agro-industrial region known since ancient times as a major grain producer with large grain storage facilities. Dezhou City is a tourist center with a rich history and cultural heritage sites. It is in the northwest of the Shandong Province.

The largest potato cultivation corporation in China, “Shisіn,” has been collaborating with KATRU since 2017, implementing joint scientific projects under the ‘One Belt – One Road’ initiative, resulting in the registration and cultivation of two new potato varieties in Kazakhstan.

Both sides agreed to establish a joint research center for potato breeding and seed production at KATRU. Mutual research projects, academic exchanges, and training programs are part of the agreement between the Kazakh Agrotechnical University (KATRU) and the government of Shandong Province China, and KATRU and Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

 

Grand opening of first University Center for Sustainable Development takes place at Satbayev University

Posted on by Satbayev University

On September 6, 2023, the opening ceremony of Center for Sustainable Development, the first such center in Kazakhstan opened at University, took place at Satbayev University within the framework of International Round Table “UN Sustainable Development Goals: Principles of Environmental Safety”. The event also included the adoption of the University’s strategy for Sustainable Development Goals.

The event was attended by Gulzat Kobenova, Chairperson of Higher and Postgraduate Education Committee at RK MSHE (online), Mikaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan, Assel Nurbekova, Director of Ecology and Energy Department at UNDP in Kazakhstan, Zhang Wei, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Almaty, and other officials.

UN Sustainable Development Goals are a set of ambitious goals aimed at the prosperity of countries. As Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted in his message, the key tasks of Kazakhstan’s development include ensuring the country’s water security and education quality. The work within the framework of Sustainable Development Goals is designed primarily to address the given issues.

Satbayev University has become the first and so far the only University in the Republic of Kazakhstan to be included in the UN Global Compact. This enables University to actively implement the 17 Sustainable Development Goals at the national and global levels. Among them: poverty eradication, hunger eradication, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation etc.

The initiative force of change will be Center for Sustainable Development opened at University, designed to develop practical solutions for the sustainable development of society. Center will develop new technologies and methods that help reduce the negative human impact on the environment and help raise people’s awareness of sustainable development issues and ways to solve them.

The participants highly appreciated the fact of the opening of such an important center, which will play a key role in economy growth and improving the society’s living conditions. To support University on the way to building a “green university” and in honor of the opening of Center, University’s business partner Dauren Askarovich Sabdenov donated two HONDA 1st generation electric crossover cars to Satbayev University.

– In order not to lose our way, we must all move in the same direction. Here we will work together to work out ways to solve problems that affect each of us in one way or another,” Rector of Satbayev University Meiram Begentayev said at the opening of Center.

The first step was the international round table “UN Sustainable Development Goals: Principles of Environmental Safety”. The purpose of the round table was to unite the ecological community of Kazakhstan under the auspices of Satbayev University, as well as accelerate and coordinate research to develop and promote reliable and effective solutions to environmental protection issues faced by humanity.

UNAIR researcher discusses rabies vaccine innovation with Indonesian, American scientists

Posted on by Universitas Airlangga News

Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) continues to produce innovative researchers. One of the researchers is Dr Arif Nur Muhammad Ansori . The researcher and assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) UNAIR discussed his innovation, Construction of Peptide-Based Vaccines with Indonesian Rabies Virus Glycoprotein: In Silico Approach with Indonesian and United States scientists.

Arif got this opportunity while attending The 9th Indonesian-American Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium from August 7 to August 11, 2023, in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. The event resulted from a collaboration between the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), United States of America.

The alumnus of UNAIR Faculty of Veterinary Medicine doctoral program was the only UNAIR researcher present at The 9th Indonesian-American Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium. This event is a prestigious forum for young scientists from Indonesia and the United States to work and build international collaborations. The participants received funding and career development guidance.

“Participants were less than 45 years old. This event provides guidance for conducting research, funding on an international scale, and career development guidance,” explained Arif.

His innovation resulted from his concern looking at recent conditions in Indonesia. “Currently, there are many cases in various regions in eastern Indonesia related to rabies that attacks animals and humans,” he said.

New breakthrough rabies vaccine

From these problems, Arif took the initiative to design a rabies vaccine with a new breakthrough. “This problem forces us to design a new, up-to-date, more significant breakthrough vaccine design. As we learned from the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Furthermore, the new breakthrough using genetic adjuvants can create a more optimal immune response in humans. “This vaccine design is made with glycoprotein and uses isolates originating from Indonesia,” he explained.

Arif revealed that he would conduct further research on the innovations he initiated. So that later this innovation will become a superior product. “Research is currently underway, starting with computational modeling. The advanced stages will make it an important product, “he concluded. (*)

Thammasat hosts informative ‘AI in Education’ presentation

Posted on by Thammasat University

The School of Global Studies’ Knowledge Management Community of Practice on Teaching hosted an informative “AI in Education” presentation at Thammasat University‘s Tha Prachan Campus On Wednesday, March 15th, 2023. Pat Yongpradit, the Chief Academic Officer of Code.org from USA, was invited to deliver the presentation. As part of his role, Khun Yongpradit works towards building connections with the education ecosystem in Thailand. He has previously conducted seminars and workshops on Computer Science, and Computational Thinking at Mahidol University, spoken at Thai conferences such as IPST’s ISMTEC 2018 and Aksorn’s Education Leader Symposium, and visited university classes to discuss education policy and systems change.

Both in-person and online SGS faculty members attended the presentation, where insights on “Global AI Education Policy Highlights” were shared. The presentation also touched on “AI in Education” and covered example uses limitations, and risks. The talk raised several thought-provoking questions, such as the advantages and disadvantages of using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT for active learning and critical thinking. These tools could potentially revolutionize how we teach and structure the learning experience.
Following the presentation, there was an open discussion among participants. The recent advent of ChatGPT has caused concern in the academic ecosystem worldwide, and this exchange was considered timely. Despite the potential risks associated with AI in education, SGS faculty members view it as an opportunity to revise the current way of learning, teaching, and evaluating students. This includes the development of active learning through AI technology, such as ChatGPT.

Thammasat students receive award from 5th APAC HPC-AI Competition

Posted on by Thammasat University

A team of students from the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Computer Science, Thammasat University, Lampang Campus, representing Thailand which consists of Supakiat Waipinij, Kanokpol Saewang, Wiraphorn Rosmode, Wilasinee Maithong and Sadanont Riangsantia received the Best Performance Award and the Third-place award from the 5th APAC HPC-AI Competition for the second year in a row.

Assistant Professor Dr. Worawan Diaz Carballo as the team supervisor received a bronze medal in the Asia-Pacific High-Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence competition, with Ms. Suwannee Aroonsawatwongse, Minister Counsellor as a representative of the embassy appointed to attend the opening ceremony of the Supercomputing Asia 2023 at the Singapore Expo together with Mr. Chan Lai Fung, Permanent Secretary for the Prime Minister’s Office (National Research and Development) of Singapore chaired.

Thailand co-hosted the event for the first time since it foresees the potential of Thailand as a leader in supercomputers in the region, especially “LANTA”, Thailand’s supercomputer with the highest computing speed in ASEAN. NSCC and ThaiSC both agreed upon the cooperation between Thailand and Singapore as an important force in driving cooperation at the ASEAN level in the future.

Teams of students from Thammasat University, Lampang Campus were able to successfully win the bronze medals for the second year in a row. This year, ThaiSC Center takes an important part in supporting the Thai student team throughout the competition. The success of students from Thammasat University, Lampang Campus is greatly congratulated by international students for their determination and effort which eventually led the Thai team to win the award from the highest speed, beating 24 teams across the APAC region.

Enjoy Your Temple Tour, Learn More with the “Insight Wat Pho” Application, A Social Innovation from Chula Architecture

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

“Insight Wat Pho” an innovation for society by a Chula Architecture lecturer is a companion application that helps visitors plan and make the most out of their visit to Wat Pho. With helpful info on how to get there and points of interest, to fun features, such as AR (augmented reality) floor plan of Wat Pho and “Yak Wat Pho” hunt game to find the Wat Pho’s Giants, the app can help visitors have a trip that is more meaningful and enjoyable.

Many popular period Thai series have created a trend of both Thai and foreign tourists flocking to ancient sites, such as “Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan” or “Wat Pho”, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bangkok and Thailand, attracting around 10,000 – 15,000 tourists each day!

Although the trend of dressing in Thai costumes and taking pictures in different archaeological sites is a form of soft power that helps boost the local economy, there are environmental impacts that should also be managed.

“Wat Pho is a place of worship that we must respect and an archaeological site that must be preserved, but we can see tourists climbing the structures without realizing their priceless value and the fact that these structures have existed for over a hundred years. Should there be any damage it is most difficult to repair,” said Dr. Wilasinee Suksawang, a lecturer at the Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University.

Inappropriate behavior that has been creating problems for this important tourist attraction pushed Dr. Wilasinee to initiate the social innovation project “Insight Wat Pho” to mitigate the impacts, which would be too late if not managed today. As an architecture professor who has been working tirelessly with the local community, professor Wilasinee believes that effective solutions to environmental problems should tackle their root cause by promoting environmental education.

“Nowadays, rather than solving environmental problems at the root cause, we often just treat the symptoms of those problems. For example, when the water is polluted, one develops many water treatment techniques. Ultimately, such an approach is unsustainable,” said Dr. Wilasinee.

“If people are knowledgeable about the environment, they will know what causes the problems and how to solve them. How can we, as part of the environment, contribute to mitigating, reducing, and not creating problems? Will this be a more sustainable approach than treating the problems at the results?”, explained the professor on the importance of applying the concept of Environmental Education and Environmental Ethics in solving the problems of Wat Pho.

Wat Pho, a tourist attraction, and educational destination with high potential. There are numerous historical sites in Thailand, and many of them are also facing the effects of tourism, but Dr. Wilasinee chose to start with Wat Pho as it is a high-potential tourist attraction.

Wat Pho is a historically significant Royal Temple. There are sacred icons that people worship. The architecture is distinctive, beautiful, and most importantly, “Wat Pho is regarded as the first university in Thailand. There are many recipes for medicine, and Thai massage references that are inscribed on stone tablets in the temple.”

“There is a considerable body of knowledge about Wat Pho, but it is accumulated in library books that nobody reads. So, I have been thinking about how we can make the knowledge accessible to the general public and make their visit more interesting. Instead of just visiting the temple and leaving, how do I get the visitors to prolong their stay in the temple with more fun and knowledge?” explained Dr. Wilasinee about the development of the “Insight Wat Pho” application to educate the general public about Wat Pho, so that they realize the value of the place, and lead to co-preservation and environmental impact reduction.

7 features to try! Take a tour of Wat Pho with deep insight
The “Insight Wat Pho” application did not start from scratch. Academia and experts have already been researching and collecting elaborate data about Wat Pho, including 3D models. “It would be a pity if all the research we have done, and the models would be kept on a computer when people should benefit from it.”

Therefore, Dr. Wilasinee and the Chulalongkorn Architecture research team have collaborated with several agencies, namely Wat Pho, and the National Innovation Agency (NIA), to curate interesting and useful information to provide Wat Pho visitors with the best experience.

“Insight Wat Pho” consists of 3 major features that provide basic information, and 4 more fun features that will educate visitors while they have fun:

Plan Your Visit
Dr. Wilasinee said, “When we travel to a certain place, we need a plan — how to get there, when it opens, how to buy tickets. These are the first things one should know. Therefore, anyone who is planning to visit Wat Pho can find this information from the Insight Wat Pho application. I can guarantee that the information is complete. There is no way you can get lost.”

Visitor Map
The layout of Wat Pho is quite complex and may make it difficult to walk around, and you may miss important spots, so having a map handy will make it easier.

“Although Wat Pho already has maps displayed at different points, in reality, we couldn’t find a map when we needed one, so having a map at our fingertip will give us peace of mind,” said Dr. Wilasinee.

Wat Pho in History
This feature shows the significant development of Wat Pho in three periods: King Rama I, King Rama III, and the present day. It is displayed as a 3D layout to portray what Wat Pho looks like in each era and how it has changed today.

Wat Pho from the Sky
This feature will take you to see Wat Pho from every corner by looking for the markers placed on the ground inside Wat Pho. When the marker is scanned, an AR diagram of Wat Pho will be displayed.

“We chose AR for this app because it is useful and fun for people. You can rotate, zoom in and out, and get a better understanding of the layout, details of the architecture, and the placement of the buildings.”

Explore
This feature will take you to explore the things that are not to be missed in Wat Pho, especially the important architecture and Buddha statues that we can not only see with our eyes but also scan and hear sounds and descriptions that will help us better understand the story of what is in front of us.

In addition, another not-to-be-missed fun is the “Poetry Quizzes” based on the Wat Pho stone inscriptions found on the pillars of the balcony.

“The Epigraphic Archives of Wat Pho are UNESCO-registered artifacts, some of which are in the form of puzzles. When we look at the inscription through the app, it will appear as an AR image, and there will be an audio poetry reading of that inscription for us. This function will allow us to complete the tour around the balcony without even knowing it.”

Freeze-Frames
In the app, there are pictures of different angles in Wat Pho from about 100 years ago. Users will have to find those spots today and compare how Wat Pho has changed. It is another feature that will take us to walk all over Wat Pho, and it’s great for photography enthusiasts.

Yak Wat Pho (Wat Pho’s Giants)
“I believe many people do not know what a Wat Pho’s Giants look like and where they are,” said Dr. Wilasinee, referring to the origins of the highlight feature like “I am a Yak Wat Pho.”

“When we are in Wat Pho, we will see so many statues of giants everywhere. So, which one is the real Wat Pho Giant? This feature provides a map indicating the coordinates of the giants. When we walk to the giants, the app will explain their details. “The map will take us around the temple to see various giants. Some giants may be in a form that we would not expect at all. Therefore, it is challenging to find all the giants and the hunt will attract us to spend a lot longer time in the temple.

The future of Insight Wat Pho
Dr. Wilasinee said that there are still many interesting stories about Wat Pho. The development team will continue to add information to the app. But the more challenging matter is not about Wat Pho’s information, but the business model that will allow the “Insight Wat Pho” app to thrive.

“Insight Wat Pho” is a free app. We do not want learning to cost money. So, to survive, we must rely on a business model. We are thinking of building Insight Wat Pho as a platform to support tourism and activities in Wat Pho, such as booking tickets to special events such as watercolor painting in Wat Pho, Wat Pho night tour, or reservation of special-edition souvenirs, and so on — which can only be done exclusively through the app. This also includes reservation of certified tour guides who are knowledgeable about Wat Pho. All of this will be included in the plan, said Dr. Wilasinee.

Insight Wat Pho – Not Just a Travel App
The “Insight Wat Pho” application is not just intended for users to have fun and gain knowledge, but Dr. Wilasinee is convinced that this innovation will make an impact on society in terms of culture, environment, and economy.

“We would like to see a behavior change in Wat Pho visitors from just sightseeing to exploring around to learn the history and culture of Thailand, and not missing the interesting spots. When tourists can spend a longer time in this place, they will support local shops and community stores when they are tired or hungry. This will not only bring a positive impact to tourism as a whole but also help draw monetary contributions into the communities,” said Dr. Wilasinee.

In this regard, Dr. Wilasinee also mentioned plans to expand the project to other historically significant places. The next temple in mind is “Wat Arun Ratchawaram Ratchawaramahaviharn (The Temple of Dawn)”, which is considered the “son temple” of Wat Pho (Wat Pho is the temple of King Rama I, while Wat Arun is the temple dedicated to King Rama II). Wat Arun has also been affected by the popularity among tourists dressed in Thai costumes looking for photo corners as backdrops in historical places as well.

Those interested in trying the Insight Wat Pho app can download it for free on the App Store and Google Play, or follow the app on Facebook: Insight Wat Pho.