BANGKOK - BTP Kelas I Medan attended a seminar and workshop from September 23 to 25, 2024, on the Development of Railway Inspection and Monitoring Technology held in Bangkok, Thailand. This event marked a significant step in strengthening regional ASEAN collaboration in the railway sector. Organized by the Railway Transportation System Testing Center (RTTC), a leading research and development institution in Thailand, the event played a key role in advancing railway transportation technology in Southeast Asia.

The RTTC operates under the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI) of Thailand. The institution focuses on research, testing, certification of railway transportation systems, and evaluating various technical and operational aspects of railway technology, including speed, safety, signaling systems, and infrastructure resilience.

The seminar featured seven speakers from various countries, discussing topics related to inspection and monitoring technology in the railway sector, as follows:

1. TWD Technology the Development Implementation and Future Application oleh Dr. Worawat Songkitti, Technical Officer of the RTTC;
2. The Dynamic Behavior and Monitoring Technology for the Safety of Train Structures oleh Prof. John Roberts, the Chairman of KU-Rail at Kasetsart University;
3. The Inspection and Monitoring Research in Earthquake in China oleh Prof. Zhong Tao, Faculty of Civil Engineering Mechanics, Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST);
4. Rail Noise and Vibration, Mechanism and Means of Controls for Prediction oleh Dr. Sorawit Limthongkul, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University;
5. Monitoring and Seismic Retrofit of Reinforced Concrete Buildings to Resistance Future Earthquakes for Sustainable Cities oleh Asisten Prof. Panumas Saingam, Departement of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang; dan
6. Enabling Integrated Measurement and Control Solutions for Railway oleh Garry Tjhin, Axiometrix Solutions.

One of the main highlights of this seminar was the presentation by Dr. Sorawit Limthongkul from the Faculty of Engineering at Kasetsart University. He discussed the control and prediction of noise and vibrations on railway tracks, which is a significant challenge for various countries in enhancing the comfort and safety of railway transportation. With more innovative technological solutions, it is hoped that this issue can be better managed in the future.

On the second day of the seminar, Prof. Zhong Tao from Kunming University of Science and Technology, China, addressed the importance of monitoring railway structures in earthquake-prone areas. The research and earthquake monitoring technology presented by Prof. Zhong provided crucial insights for ASEAN countries located in seismic regions, including Indonesia and Thailand. This technology is expected to enhance the resilience of railway infrastructure against natural disasters.

In another session, Assistant Professor Panumas Saingam from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand, presented on seismic retrofitting of reinforced concrete buildings for sustainable cities. This technology is highly relevant to the rapidly growing railway infrastructure development in the ASEAN region, which must still consider sustainability and disaster mitigation aspects.

Seminar participants, including representatives from the Medan Class I Railway Technical Center, Nabila Alifani and M. Marsha Ulum, actively engaged in discussions on how the presented technologies could be adapted and applied in their respective countries. They expressed optimism that this cross-country collaboration would accelerate the implementation of safer and more efficient railway technologies in Indonesia, particularly in North Sumatra.

This seminar further strengthens the efforts of ASEAN countries to achieve better regional connectivity and enhance global competitiveness in the railway industry. The initiatives that emerged from these discussions are expected to be implemented soon to support the realization of safer, more environmentally friendly, and sustainable transportation. (AI/ARH/MAD/RZ)