GISTDA Partners with Finland's ICEYE to Strengthen Thailand's Disaster Monitoring System
Thailand partnered with Finland's ICEYE to deploy advanced radar satellite technology for disaster monitoring, addressing weather challenges that optical satellites cannot penetrate during rainy seasons and floods.
GISTDA Partners with Finland's ICEYE to Strengthen Thailand's Disaster Monitoring System
On May 5 at The Athenee Hotel Bangkok, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation launched the 'GISTDA – ICEYE EO Satellite Joint Development Workshop' in collaboration with ICEYE, a world-leading Finnish radar satellite technology provider. The partnership aims to advance Thailand's space technology capabilities to international standards and address increasingly severe climate change challenges.
Attending the ceremony were H.E. Kristiina Kuvaja-Xanthopoulos, Finnish Ambassador to Thailand; Mr. Dylan Monaghan, ICEYE Asia-Pacific Vice President; and Dr. Pokorn Apaipanthung, GISTDA Director, along with agency officials.
Dr. Pokorn explained that Thailand previously struggled to monitor disaster situations during rainy seasons because optical satellite imagery cannot penetrate dense clouds and rain. However, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology has emerged as a critical game-changer. SAR technology is invaluable because it can penetrate clouds, operate in darkness, and is key to effectively monitoring recurring disasters including floods, land subsidence, and coastal erosion around the clock.
The ICEYE partnership is not merely a data service agreement but part of GISTDA's systematic 'Satellite Development Roadmap' for the coming decade, comprising four strategic pillars: 1) Manufacturing and controlling diverse earth observation satellites, including Thailand's own future SAR satellites; 2) Space sovereignty by reducing dependence on foreign technology and establishing independent data security; 3) Becoming ASEAN's comprehensive technology hub spanning production, data processing, and intelligent information delivery; and 4) Addressing national agendas and advancing the digital economy.
Beyond disaster management, SAR satellite data plays a crucial role in driving the economy, particularly agriculture, by accurately assessing soil moisture even during rainy seasons, strengthening maritime security through vessel tracking to prevent illegal fishing and territorial violations, and enhancing national security.
"Today's workshop represents a fusion of world-class expertise with Thailand's satellite programs to create practical solutions and sustainable economic value," said GISTDA's director. "This collaboration, supported by the Finnish Ambassador, reflects the strong relationship between our nations focused on advanced innovation. ICEYE is ready to transfer technology and co-develop innovations with Thai agencies to design data services that best suit Thailand's context."
