New documentary sheds light on Huawei’s influence in Thailand

China-based Japanese filmmaker Ryo Takeuchi recently released a documentary series called “100 faces of Huawei”. The film, which gives viewers a close look into the working of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, also features interviews with employees.

This film is part of the technology giant’s efforts to introduce changes after the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added Huawei and 68 of its non-US affiliates to the BIS Entity List in 2019.

The BIS Entity List includes foreign businesses, organisations and individuals who are subject to special licensing requirements for the export or re-export of certain items.

The documentary, meanwhile, spans Huawei operations in China, Japan and Thailand.

In the Thai segment, the film shows how the tech giant has expanded its reach and how it fosters a thriving digital ecosystem.

It also shows how Huawei helped turn Siriraj Hospital into Asean’s first smart hospital by introducing the latest 5G, cloud and AI technology to improve medical services and overall efficiency.

Siriraj vice-director Prof Dr Cherdchai Nopmaneejumruslers said thanks to Huawei’s technological support, the hospital can now provide safer and more efficient services to patients. Huawei applications created for Siriraj include 5G ambulances and 5G unmanned vehicles.

The film then shifts to an employee in Thailand, who explains how Huawei has provided connections and equipment to help farmers sell their products online. With technical support, farmers can now track changes in market prices and adjust their strategies.

Huawei has been working on its “Grow in Thailand, Contribute to Thailand” mission since 1999 to help with the country’s digital transformation.

Huawei employs 2,600 people in Thailand, 86 per cent of whom are Thai citizens, and has indirectly generated more than 8,500 jobs.

The tech giant also set up the Huawei Asean Academy (Thailand) in 2019 to cultivate local digital talent. The academy has trained more than 41,000 people and over 2,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the past two years.

Huawei Thailand’s CEO Abel Deng said Thailand’s innovative ecosystem and talent are what drive Huawei’s continuous investment in the country.

Huawei became the first foreign company in recent years to win the 2021 Prime Minister Award for “Digital International Corporation of the Year”. In the same year, it was also named the “most admirable brand” by consumers and won the “Thailand TOP Company Award” for Best Digital Transformation Infrastructure.

For more information on “100 faces of Huawei”, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmHfQ1XPNJI