Background
Infrastructure is an important factor in national development, including economic, social, cultural and national security development. It provides the structures that support communities and their growth, such as housing, transport, communications and telecommunications, electricity and water supply. Infrastructure is not limited to construction within communities: it also includes dams, transport systems such as roads and railways, flood prevention systems, irrigation, electricity generation and energy systems. It supports national development much as a network of blood vessels sustains the economy.
Infrastructure development has expanded in response to demand and the needs of national development, through investment in new construction as well as the maintenance and repair of existing systems. Infrastructure projects generally require substantial resources, including capital, knowledgeable personnel and experts, time for studies and design, and investigation of new operating technologies. Because infrastructure often affects the ways of life, psychological well-being and feelings of the people concerned, careful consideration and time are needed to formulate government policy, plan, weigh advantages and disadvantages, and make orderly investment decisions that are acceptable to the public. Effective infrastructure management is therefore essential to meeting social needs and operating correctly and cost-effectively in economic terms.
These considerations demonstrate the growing importance of infrastructure for developing countries such as Thailand. However, past and present infrastructure planning, implementation and management in Thailand have faced problems and obstacles that prevent efficiency and quality from meeting accepted standards. These factors slow economic and social development and affect living conditions, quality of life and the environment.
Modernizing and improving the country’s infrastructure systems so that they can match and compete with those of other countries requires research and development of infrastructure administration and management to meet accepted standards. This involves improving operating procedures and adopting new construction technologies and methods to increase productivity and construction efficiency. This is particularly important in public infrastructure, where substantial government budgets are spent on construction and management, and where efficient, high-quality operations are needed.
Thailand also lacks a sufficiently thorough academic understanding to provide a foundation of infrastructure engineering knowledge that can be applied to improve efficiency and guide quality infrastructure development. Research knowledge is therefore strongly needed for both academic and practical use. Several organizations, including Chulalongkorn University, have disseminated knowledge and conducted research on infrastructure construction. The Department of Civil Engineering provides teaching and academic development in construction engineering and infrastructure management. Infrastructure knowledge and expertise also span other disciplines, including engineering, social sciences, economics and commerce.
For these reasons, personnel at Chulalongkorn University with knowledge, experience and expertise in infrastructure systems engineering, and a shared commitment to producing quality work, came together to establish a research center providing consultancy services under the name Infrastructure Management Research Unit. The unit was established to develop knowledge in infrastructure systems management through research and academic services for relevant public and private organizations, support teaching and learning, and contribute to national development.
Objectives of the center
The Center of Excellence in Infrastructure Management was established with the following objectives:
1. Develop knowledge in infrastructure management in Thailand through research, development of technologies, tools, equipment and software, and development of management systems using geographic information systems (GIS).
2. Provide academic services to relevant government agencies, state enterprises and private organizations, enabling efficient infrastructure management systems suited to each organization’s culture and constraints.
3. Transfer knowledge to university students, engineers and the general public through teaching, publications, training and seminars.
4. Build academic partnerships with leading educational institutions, government agencies, state enterprises and private organizations to exchange knowledge, support research and develop infrastructure management personnel.
Goals of the center
The Center of Excellence in Infrastructure Management established the following main goals to guide its work:
1. Continuously produce research, innovations, software and knowledge in infrastructure management in Thailand.
2. Receive regular assignments to provide academic services for relevant government agencies, state enterprises and private organizations.
3. Train and develop personnel and students with knowledge and capabilities in infrastructure management systems.
4. Maintain academic collaboration with leading educational institutions, government agencies, state enterprises and private organizations.
