Let’s propose a future transport strategy for your town!

From 10 November to 15 December 2021, Kagawa and Kasetsart University organized an online programme with the aim of exchanging sustainable urban transport with universities in Thailand and Japan. In total, 30 students from the participating institutions of Kagawa University, Chubu University, Kasetsart University, the Asian Institute of Technology and Chiang Mai University worked on proposals for future transport strategies for their respective towns.  　In the first session, Prof Yoshitsugu Hayashi (Chubu University), the principal investigator of the project, delivered his keynote speech on “Limits to Urbanization and Motorization – Mobility as SABAI Happiness for Bangkok”, focusing on the introduction of the concept of Quality of Life (QOL).

Subsequently, the transport policies of the towns near each university were outlined by Dr Varameth Vichiensan (Kasetsart University), Dr Nopadon Kronprasert (Chiang Mai University), Dr Hiroyuki Miyazaki (University of Tokyo) and Prof Masanobu Kii (Kagawa University). Then the participants discussed the direction of the transport policy up until 2050 and brainstormed other related policies via an online white board, so as to formulate their own presentations relating to proposals for future transport strategies. 　In the final session, the participants exchanged presentations on transport strategies in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the cities of Takamatsu and Nagoya. For example, Chiang Mai University proposed a complete shift to electric vehicles by 2050 and promoted autonomous driving. Kasetsart University proposed a transport strategy for an aged society, while Kagawa University highlighted several issues regarding the transport networks in Takamatsu city and proposed an improved transport network for the future. Mr Titipakorn of Chubu University, who is an international student from Thailand, compared traffic congestion in Bangkok and Nagoya and proposed a smart transport strategy for Bangkok using AI to enhance the QOL. In the closing remarks, Prof Kii, who is a facilitator of the programme, praised the high quality of all the presentations and shared his expectations of continuous networking between Thailand and Japan.