dtac story

Phuket has now dropped all COVID-19 testing for international travelers and is fully open for tourism   Starting May 1, Thailand has lifted all COVID-19 testing and is reopened for fully vaccinated international tourists. A perennially popular destination such as Phuket is expected to see new waves of international travelers flying in, which will no doubt bring a much-needed economic boost to the so-called “Pearl of Andaman”. The island-province’s moniker isn’t just a reference to its picturesque location in the Andaman Sea, but also to its beautiful natural landscapes. With its powdery beaches and turquoise waters, Phuket sits comfortably among the world’s top destinations. Aside from its magnificent nature, Phuket is also culturally rich, with diverse influences from ethnic tribes, navigators, and foreign merchants who came to the Phuket during the Ayutthaya period. Simply put, Phuket is a melting pot – and batik is one if its many treasures. Origin of Phuket Batik Patcharee “Piew” Sangjan, 62, is a pensioner. But even before she retired from the Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education as a senior-professional-level supervisor, she pioneered the art of batik-making in Phuket. Born in Nakhon Si Thammarat, she has had a passion for painting since she…

In June 2018, the world fixated on Thailand’s mission to rescue the 12 Wild Boars footballers and their coach who went missing inside Tham Luang cave in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai. The cave became heavily flooded soon after the Wild Boars soccer team ventured in. They were trapped in the darkness, but were eventually safely rescued from the cave 18 days later, bringing an end to the operation dubbed “Thailand’s Miracle Cave Rescue”. But the rescue mission also shed light on a human rights issue, as three of the Wild Boars footballers and their 25-year-old coach were stateless ethnic minorities. Complex Challenges in Mae Sai Mae Sai district is located next to the Thai-Myanmar border. Before the pandemic and the 2021 Myanmar coup, it was a major border crossing, frequented by both Thai and Burmese merchants. The area is also home to stateless ethnic minorities who often face exposure to poverty, drugs, and human trafficking. “About 15 years ago, Mae Sae was a thriving border town with a high volume of investment and trade. But over time, we started witnessing problems like prostitution and illegal entries. Many men came to Mae Sai to earn a living as laborers while…

20 April 2022 – It’s a hard truth, but nearly everything we do emits some volume of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which in turn contributes to climate change and global warming. For example, when we drive our car, we are responsible for approximately 2.3 kilograms of CO2 for every liter of petrol our car consumes. Powered by electricity, the digital realm is no different. As we surf the internet, our connectivity indirectly leads to power consumption and carbon emissions through our mobile networks. Even a quick minute-long call translates to 57 grams of CO2 emissions. dtac is working towards reducing our carbon footprint by 50% by 2030. This is a formidable goal, given that our mobile network is responsible for majority of the company’s net energy consumption, along with energy consumed by data and network centers. To cut our carbon emissions efficiently, we are leveraging a cross-functional approach utilizing data analytics, finance and deep telecom engineering to identify energy efficiency opportunities at cell sites. Consumption on such cell sites is directly optimized through a range of initiatives involving technical rectifications or even modernization of facilities, while working with different stakeholders (e.g. landlords, enterprises, authorities). in the process. We are also upgrading our base…

In 2021, dtac announced the goal of reducing by 50 percent its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. One of the key strategies in pursuit of this goal is to achieve energy efficiency through a transition to clean energy. According to dtac’s data, its provision of network services has accounted for more than 99 percent of its energy consumption. Its network includes tens of thousands of cell sites across Thailand. So, for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, dtac has prioritized its shift towards solar powered cell sites. dtacblog spoke to Weratuch Witoonchart, Head of Data Analytics, and Chumnan Theamnooch from the Coverage and Infrastructure Planning team, who are spearheading this transition. Solar Powered Network Mr. Chumnan revealed that dtac has operated solar-powered cell sites for more than 10 years already but most of these sites were located in areas without electricity. In recent years, dtac’s focus on energy efficiency has grown significantly to pursue environmental goals. Hence, there is renewed interest in renewable energy solutions. To overcome the challenges they pose in terms of investments and engineering, Mr. Chumnan with dtac’s data-analytics team to design the best possible strategy for dtac’s green transition. “Speaking of engineering, every solar-powered cell site needs a…

Each year in January in Ban Nong Khiao, located in Chiang Mai, next to the Thai-Myanmar border, hundreds of villagers don meticulously embroidered clothes and intricate ornaments. They gather at the village square to celebrate the Lahu New Year festival for 12 consecutive days. The Lahu people, also known as the Muser hill tribe, perform a dance called Cha Kue to express gratitude to their deities and eat Khao Puk, steamed black sticky rice mixed with sesame.Unfortunately, the Lahu community often faces poverty and exposure to drug traffickers who must cross the borders they occupy. Ban Nong Khiao is therefore considered one of Thailand’s red zones for drug trafficking. Complex Social Problems “Ninety five percent of the people here are farmers, but because of plunging crop prices and rising farming expenses, they face insecure livelihoods and unstable income,” Marisa Jitbunpot, officer at Plan International Thailand, said.Due to financial struggles, many Lahu men are induced into joining drug-trafficking gangs while many women fall victim of human trafficking. “When considering the overall picture, it became clear that improving the quality of life of the villagers is only possible if people are empowered to stand on their own feet,” Ms. Marisa explained. “Through…