Ayutthaya, THAILAND – December 12, 2023 – The SATREPS Area-BCM Project, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, accomplished a significant milestone with the successful execution of the second phase of the strategic Area – Business Continuity Management (Area-BCM) workshop on December 12, 2023. Hosted at Pioneer Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (PTM) in Rojana Industrial Park, the event drew active participation from various divisions within Pioneer Manufacturing (Thailand), as well as esteemed professors, researchers, and students from Chulalongkorn University and Japanese institutions.
The workshop aimed to disseminate crucial knowledge on risk and disaster management, coupled with area business continuity management, to a diverse audience comprising companies. The event saw the engagement of 26 employees from various units, alongside 4 observers. Participants were strategically divided into five groups, aligning with their respective units: Production_GEMBA, Production Engineering & Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, and Headquarter.
The opening session was led by Prof. Kenji Watanabe from Nagoya Institute of Technology, the project investigator of SATREPS Area – BCM. Prof. Watanabe introduced the project’s background and outlined the activities planned for the strategic workshop. Following this, Prof. Akira Kodaka from Keio University introduced hazard scenarios for the workshop, providing participants with valuable insights to guide planning and discussions within their respective groups.
Mr. Shingo Suzuki from the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED) demonstrated Business Impact Analysis tools, highlighting road network challenges and vulnerabilities in human resources. Subsequently, Mr. Shigeo Otani from Fujitsu Research Institute presented key factors of Business Continuity Management, sparking high-interest discussions with shared insights and opinions among participants.
The workshop concluded with a closing session by Mr. Katsumi Sakurai, Managing Director of Pioneer Manufacturing (Thailand). Mr. Sakurai expressed gratitude to all participants and acknowledged the substantial support from the project. He characterized the day as challenging yet essential for personal and organizational development. Reflecting on the 2011 flood as a costly experience, Mr. Sakurai emphasized the current global situation of Climate Change, underlining the importance of knowledge in business continuity management to build resilience. Also, Pioneer Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. remains committed to fostering a culture of preparedness and resilience, aligning with the principles of the SATREPS Area-BCM Project.
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