More engineers needed for new era
THAILAND needs a change in the educational system to cope with the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, which requires engineering knowledge, according to a Thammasat University academic.
Professor Surapongse Sotanasathien, a lecturer at the university’s faculty of journalism and mass communication, said that when speaking about “Industry 4.0”, people usually asked about the previous industrial revolutions.
Different Thai academics have defined these revolutions differently. Some have looked back to the agricultural age, while others noted the transformational period starting from the light to the heavy Industrial Revolution.
Involving hydropower and steam, the First Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th century, while the next revolution was about electricity.
The third era of industry came about with the beginning of automation, starting around 1970.
Around 2012, the world entered the Industry 4.0 era, in which cyber-systems monitor physical industrial processes.
“In order to achieve Industry 4.0, which requires serious learning, the Thai educational system must employ pragmatic concepts and put them into practice,” Surapongse said.
He said the fourth era of industry was not only about administrative and management techniques, but also knowledge in engineering, even for small factories.
