King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) is joining hands with the Tokyo-based KOSEN National Institute of Technology to open a mechatronics programme to produce engineers to serve the state Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
"Twenty-four top grade students have been already selected for this 2019 semester," said KMITL rector Suchatvee Suwansawat. The students, who will learn at the newly opened KOSEN-KMITL Institute located at KMITL in eastern Bangkok, will spend five years sharpening their skills in mechatronics, a mix of mechanic and electrical engineering. They will be also trained on non-science subjects and activities as "we want to build well-rounded engineers," he said.
Graduates will be granted diplomas and will take just two years to earn a bachelor's degree at universities of their choice in Thailand or overseas, according to Komsan Maleesee, dean of KMITL's Faculty of Engineering. It would be a great opportunity to study and work with Thai and Japanese experts as they will also be interns at factories in Japan, Mr Komsan said.
Mr Suchatvee, meanwhile, said the KOSEN-KMITL Institute will "best suit Thai industries and innovation development under the EEC scheme." The government plans to set up 10 industries, including next-generation cars and smart electronics, in three eastern provinces of Chon Buri, Rayong and Chachoengsao. Thailand needs more engineers to help drive the economy, but they are also important to Japan which wants Thailand to serve as a major production site, Mr Suchatvee said.