News

(30 August 2018) AIS reaffirms its leadership as Thailand's No. 1 in IoT innovations with the NB-IoT and eMTC networks, as the first and only operator to provide the networks throughout all 77 provinces and serving the growing number of leading public and private organizations deploying AIS IoT solutions. Recently the Ministry of Public Health and Mobike have entrusted AIS to jointly develop and introduce the “Smart bike sharing” project at the ministry to provide a new means of transportation for government officers, employees as well as the public. The smart public bike will efficiently improve mobility management within the ministry's complex, reduce expenses, save energy and mitigate the carbon footprint. It also offers a new experience of cycling powered by digital technology, which is in line with the Thailand 4.0 policy.

Mr. Yongsit Rojsrikul, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, AIS, says that AIS is determined to utilize its networks and digital know-how to create services that are beneficial to the government sector and the public. Over the past 3 years, AIS has collaborated with the Ministry of Public Health to initiate "AorSorMor Online application", a social network tool that helps care for people in rural areas. Now, AIS has been given another opportunity by the ministry to jointly develop the “Smart public bike” project along with Mobike, China's largest smart bike-sharing platform.

AIS uses NB-IoT (Narrow band Internet of Things), a highly efficient network, to connect IoT solutions, enabling riders to order and control the smart bike from anywhere and at any time. The bike-sharing service will benefit the mobility management within the ministry in line with the Sharing Economy concept to promote sharing of resources via the internet. Furthermore, the project ensures that the NB-IoT technology can be practically applied in Thailand. The bike-sharing service will help solve urban transportation problems and mitigate the city's carbon footprint. It is also one of the activities that substantially supports Thailand 4.0 policy and the government’s Smart City concept.

Clin. Prof. Emeritus Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, M.D. Minister of Public Health, notes that the ministry’s mission is to improve the health of the people, reduce non-communicable diseases through the promotion of healthy lifestyles including daily exercise, and encourage walking or cycling as an alternative mode for traveling to school, the workplace, or in undertaking daily activities.

The ministry is therefore providing smart bike lanes for both workers and visitors. Whether used for going to work or cycling as exercise, the bikes will help reduce global warming and transport costs. The smart public bike service is being made available thanks to the cooperation of AIS and Mobike, which provides the shared-bike service via a mobile application. The project emphasizes bike-sharing in the ministry complex in line with its vision as the key state agency responsible for public health. It also serves as a model for other government organizations or state enterprises, creates awareness of the importance of exercise in preventing NCDs, and promotes the development of public health 4.0 projects using IoT and big data.

Jedsada Chokdamrongsuk, M.D.,F.L.C.S. Permanent Secretary, Public Health Ministry, notes that the popularity of cycling as a form of exercise is continuing to increase. For this reason, the ministry has introduced bike lanes in its vicinity to allow for easy transportation. The bike lanes are convenient, safe and environmentally friendly, and also reduce the travel expense of officials at the ministry and nearby organizations. The bike project aims to improve physical and mental health, save energy and create awareness about environmental preservation. AIS and Mobike are providing 300 shared bikes for officials and the public with a monthly service fare of 100 baht for the first 6 months. The Mobike app will show distance, calorie burn and carbon footprint reduction from cycling.

The two completed bike routes run from the front of Srithanya Hospital to Gate 1 of the Public Health Ministry complex, and around a public park behind the flagstaff. Another two lanes are under preparation, one from the Thailand Nursing and Midwifery council to the Department of Disease Control, and the other around the ministry's sports field. Both are slated for completion in early 2019. A further two routes are planned, one surrounding Srithanya Hospital and another connecting with the Department of Disease Control. The ministry expects to complete the bike lanes around the ministry within 2019.

The Mobike is designed particularly for point-to-point transportation based on the bike sharing concept. It allows for the sharing of every bike with parking in designated areas. Users simply download the Mobile Application to their smartphones, then scan the QR Code to unlock and ride. Mobike has GPS and smart lock technology. Users can register to connect to the IoT platform and pay 10 baht per 30 minutes of use. Payment and top-ups can be made through 3 methods:

1. Rabbit LINE Pay, which offers a special discount of 50% up to 50 baht per rider per month when paying for the monthly “Mobike pass” or Mobike top-up from 50 baht. The promotion is available from now until 28 February 2019.
2. Monthly coupon, which is available at the Ministry of Public Health. Special! 100 baht (from normal fare of 150 baht) for 30 days with no limit on use (maximum 2 hours each time). The coupon is valid from now unit 28 February 2019.
3. Credit cards and debit cards of all commercial banks are accepted.

The smart bike-sharing service is now available for transport within the Ministry of Public Health complex, which is spread over 400-rai. This project demonstrates the ministry’s readiness to embrace change in the era of digital transformation. The ministry also aims to enhance management efficiency in line with the government's Thailand 4.0 policy.