Ayutthaya, THAILAND – October 27, 2023 – The SATREPS Area-BCM Project, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, successfully organized the second phase of the Strategic Area – Business Continuity Management (Area-BCM) workshop on Tuesday, October 27, 2023. The workshop aimed to disseminate essential knowledge on risk and disaster management, along with area business continuity management, to the target audience comprising companies. The event, held at Krungsri River Hotel, Ayutthaya, witnessed active participation from companies in Rojana Industrial Park, professors, researchers, and students from Chulalongkorn University and Japanese institutions totaling 43 observers and participants. Ms. Peerada Tangprasert, a master’s candidate in the Industrial Engineering Program, served as the MC for this workshop.
Highlights of the Workshop:
The first session of the workshop commenced with a recapitulation of the first Area-BCM workshop, led by Assoc. Prof. Natt Leelawat, D. Eng, from the Faculty of Engineering at Chulalongkorn University. Participants were divided into groups to address issues raised in previous discussions and to deepen their understanding of the necessity for Area-BCM. This segment facilitated newcomers’ comprehension and aligned all participants on the same track.
The next session was moderated by Mr. Shigeo Otani from Fujitsu Research Institute, this session involved the Common Timeline Workshop. Participants deliberated the timing of each phase decision, necessary information, and expected scarce external resources. Also, Prof. Akira Kodaka, from Keio University, provided guidance on portal utilization and scenario situations. Facilitators from Item 3 members supported group discussions, focusing on the preparation, alert, and move phases.
Continuing the Common Timeline Workshop, participants explored cooperation measures from Preparation to Recovery. Collaboration tasks among companies, industrial parks, local governments, and infrastructure were identified to secure depleted external resources. Output discussions were documented on post-it notes and presented by each group.
Key Presentations:
Prof. Kenji Watanabe, from Nagoya Institute of Technology, summarized participant feedback, while Mr. Mamoru Miyamoto from Japan’s International Center for Water Hazards and Risk Management (ICHARM) presented comprehensive scenarios, including water levels, precipitation, and rainfall data. Mr. Shingo Suzuki, from the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED), demonstrated the Business Impact Analysis tools, showcasing road network difficulties and human resources vulnerability. An application prototype displaying forecasted water levels, accessible via smartphones, was introduced. Ms. Penpicha Arayachookiat, a student and research assistant from the Risk and Disaster Management Program at Chulalongkorn University, summarized lessons learned from previous workshops and engaged in discussions to ensure mutual understanding.
For the closing session, Prof. Kenji Watanabe expressed gratitude to all participants and highlighted the workshop’s role as a pilot implementation, fostering collaboration between companies and researchers. The event provided a platform for information exchange, idea sharing, and discussions on risk, disaster management, and business continuity processes. Participant feedback, gathered through questionnaires, will contribute to project improvements. The workshop’s success serves as a foundation for future enhancements, emphasizing continuous improvement and meaningful collaborations.
The SATREPS DREAM (Area-BCM) Project is a joint research project between Japan and Thailand under the SENDAI framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The project aims to launch a sustainable economic growth platform through disaster resilience enhancement at Industry complexes in Thailand and input to ISO/TC292 by the year 2023.
Written by Phongnarin Sukcham
Photos by Prof. Masahiro Inoue and Kullachart Prathumchai