Suzhou, China: Thailand made its three years in-a-row World Champion at the World RoboCup Rescue competition in China, July 20, 2008. Plasma-RX from Chulalongkorn University, the Thailand’s representative (Thailand Rescue Robot Champion) swept aside the challenge of its three rivals in the finals.

      Tank-shaped robots developed by a team of engineering students proved their skillful abilities. The robots are able to move along rugged and extreme surface to reach victims in a simulate disaster scene. They developed software which is able to locate victims more precisely using cameras and laser range finder. Anyway, the robots’ mobility earned them the most applause in the competition.

      Thai Robotics Society with the SCG supports has been organizing Thailand Rescue Robot Championship since 2004, yearly. The first Thailand Rescue Robot Championship was held at the Kasetsart University, Bangkok in 2004 where more than 60 teams were attended. Mahidol University, Bangkok, hosted the 2nd Thailand Rescue Robot Championship where the national champion, ‘Independent Team,’ from King Monkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB) could win the World’s title at the World RoboCup Rescue in Bremen, Germeny, in the following year. The 3rd Thailand Rescue Robot Championship was held at KMUTNB in 2006, where the Thailand’s representative could win the World’s champion for the second year in the row at the Atlanta, GA, USA. The last year Thailand Rescue Robot Championship was held at the King Monkut’s University of Technology Thonburi where the ‘Plasma-RX team,’ Chulalongkorn University, had won the national title.

      This year, Mahidol University is hosting the Thailand Rescue Robot Championship where international teams will be invited and joined the competition to challenge the Princess Mahachakri Sirinthorn’s Cup.