Thailand Post introducing “smart” technology

Thailand Post says it is switching to “smart” mailboxes in an effort to make the state enterprise more hi-tech. The company says it’s working with the state-owned telecoms company CAT Telecom to produce the mailboxes that will use “Internet of Things” technology to detect when parcels are deposited.

A report in Nation Thailand today explains that the boxes will be fitted with sensors, which means each time someone drops a letter or package into a box, the data can be transmitted to the nearest post office. Korkit Danchaivichit, Thailand Post’s president, says this will hopefully lead to collections being more efficiently managed.

“Each time mail and packages are dropped in these smart mailboxes, the data will be sent to the nearest Thailand Post office, where staff can monitor the mailboxes’ status via personal computers, smartphones, or tablets. The platform can also log the number of items being dropped in the box along with the date and time stamp, which will help collection staff manage their schedules efficiently and promote users’ confidence that their mail is monitored and accounted for at all times, reducing the risk of lost mail.”

Korkit says that the postal service currently deals with over 1.6 billion items each year and that the new initiative will eventually see up to 22,000 smart mailboxes installed around the country.

“Currently Thailand Post is handling more than 1.6 billion mailings and packages each year, and we are planning to install 1,000 smart mailboxes in Bangkok and its perimeter areas within 2020 to streamline the collection process. By the end of 2021, we aim to install up to 22,000 smart mailboxes nationwide to cover the increasing needs of customers, especially those in e-commerce and logistics industries.”

Meanwhile, Korkit adds that CAT Telecom is also offering free high-speed internet to customers at all Thailand Post branches.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand