October 7, 2025 – The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), through Belt and Road Research Center (BRRC), successfully hosted the closure meeting for its research collaboration with China State Construction Engineering (Thailand) Co. Ltd. (CSCECTH). The meeting marked the culmination of a fruitful partnership aimed at supporting the landmark Thailand-China High-Speed Rail (HSR) project.
The collaboration, formalized under a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed in March 2022, leveraged AIT’s academic and research expertise in three key fields: Structural Engineering (SE), Geotechnical & Earth Resources Engineering (GTE), and Construction, Engineering, and Infrastructure Management (CEIM).
The closure meeting was chaired by Dr. Wenchao Xue, Director of AIT’s Belt and Road Research Center, and attended by senior representatives from both institutions. The AIT delegation included the lead professors for the research fields: Prof. Pennung Warnitchai (SE), Dr. Kuo-Chieh Chao (GTE), and Dr. Djoen San Santoso (CEIM). CSCECTH was represented by Mr. ZHOU Jiayi, Vice General Manager and Project Manager of the HSR Development for Regional Connectivity, along with chief engineers and technical staff from various project contract sections.
Following the progress meetings during the collaboration period since 2022, this closure meeting is a showcase of collaborative achievements.
The meeting in 2025 served as a platform to present significant achievements including :
Research highlights a series of journal papers & conference papers publications and Professional Consulting & Testing provided by AIT experts directly supporting the project’s construction quality.
Certified FIDIC Training collaborating with AIT Extension: AIT delivered a professional development course on FIDIC contracts for CSCECTH staff, enhancing their capabilities in international construction management within the Thai context.
Networking & Exchange: The partnership facilitated high-profile exchanges, including a documentary feature by China Central Television (CCTV) and site visits for delegations from prestigious Chinese universities like Tsinghua University and Beijing Normal University.
Building a Foundation for Future Cooperation
A central part of the closure meeting in 2025 focused on building upon the current success. Both parties engaged in productive dialogues about the potential for a second phase of collaboration for the Thailand-China HSR project and explored other avenues for partnership. The shared goal is to continue harnessing AIT’s research prowess and CSCECTH’s industrial expertise to advance sustainable infrastructure development in Thailand and the wider region.
