Japanese conglomerate Hitachi Ltd is eager to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem in the much-touted Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
According to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who met Hitachi president Toshiaki Higashihara yesterday, the company plans to invest in the Lumada IoT Platform at Amata City, which is located in the EEC.
The EEC, spanning a combined 30,000 rai in Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao, is intended as a special zone for investment in 10 targeted industries promoted as clusters by the government.
The 10 industries are next-generation cars; smart electronics; affluent, medical and wellness tourism; agriculture and biotechnology; food; robotics for industry; logistics and aviation; biofuels and biochemicals; digital; and medical services.
The Lumada platform will form the core that all of Hitachi's future IoT products and services will be based upon.
According to a Hitachi statement, Lumada's open and adaptable architecture will enable simulation models, data orchestration, content intelligence, streaming analytics and other Hitachi software technologies.
Lumada was specifically designed to address the challenges associated with IoT solutions, leveraging Hitachi's rich OT (operational technology) and IT (informational technology) expertise and technologies, Hitachi said in a recent release.
Lumada accelerates synthesising of actionable insights, delivering faster time to value and supporting better decisions that lead to real-world outcomes, like increased productivity and safety, streamlined processes, reduced operational costs and carbon footprint, and improved quality of life.
According to Mr Somkid, Hitachi's investment in the Lumada platform will greatly benefit the country's transport, industrial development and traffic management.
Hitachi currently invests in Thailand with factories for home appliances.
In related news, Mr Somkid met Japan's vice foreign minister, Kazuyuki Nakane, on Tuesday and learned that Japanese investors are keen to invest in Thai infrastructure projects, especially the planned Bangkok-Rayong high-speed train.
Mr Somkid quoted Mr Nakane as saying Japanese investors are ready to form a consortium to join the bidding on the construction of the 193.5km Bangkok-Rayong high-speed train project that will link the EEC and three international airports.