School of Engineering has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 6 key organizations, including the Maker Association of Thailand, Thai Embedded Systems Association, Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal, Animal Welfare and Veterinary Service Division of Pathum Thani Provincial Livestock Office, and the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Livestock Office to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology with Thai elephant conservation efforts. The collaboration also includes organizing the AI HACKATHON Elephant Identification 2025 competition, with Asst. Prof.Dr.Wisarn Patchoo, Dean, School of Engineering, serving as the signatory representative.
This significant academic collaboration focuses on jointly researching and developing an artificial intelligence system to identify elephants from actual photographic databases in Thailand. This will help promote the application of modern technology in natural resource conservation and biodiversity preservation, creating tangible benefits for society and the environment. The developed system can be used for efficient management, conservation, and monitoring of elephant usage. Furthermore, it can be extended to develop technology for identifying other wildlife or endangered species in the future, systematically contributing to the country's long-term natural resource conservation in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This collaboration bridges learning and research to create sustainable national-level outcomes by integrating technological expertise from educational institutions, technology specialist organizations, and agencies with direct experience in caring for and conserving Thai elephants, to create innovations that truly address wildlife conservation needs.
