The RoboCup event is no longer solely in the sphere of hobbies and sports, but will play a big role in all sectors.
Thailand will host RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2017, the region's first robotics competition, which for the first time will be supported by government and private organisations.
The international RoboCup has been held for 20 years, and Thailand has taken part for 12 years.
This year marks the first time the event will be held in Thailand, said Jackrit Suthakorn, Mahidol University's dean of engineering and a trustee of RoboCup.
The activities have proved successful as many robots being used in the real world saw their debut at the RoboCup event, Mr Jackrit said, adding that there are close connections between technology development and utilisation.
Robotics has huge automation potential and can serve the logistics sector and support the ageing society by complementing caregivers.
"Within three years, we will see a bigger role of robotics," Mr Jackrit said. "Unless we promote local research and development, more overseas products will be imported and bring the country into a deficit. If we promote development in the country, we can deliver technology to other countries."
Some 30-40 individuals and small companies are working in the robotics field, and an additional 200 companies are interested in investing in the rising industry.
Itichai Patamasiriwat, deputy director-general of the Office of Industrial Economics, said robotics and automation not only serve the manufacturing industry, but also entire industries in Thailand, including agriculture. The 200 system integrators (SIs) in the field are small in number relative to demand. The Industry Ministry aims to have some 1,400 SIs within five years.
Just 15% of companies are using robotic automation, all of them large firms, while the remaining 85% are keeping options open.
To proactively support the technology, the ministry set up the Centre of Robotic Excellence (CoRE) to create four workforce groups: certified system integrators, industrial prototypes, HR development, and consultant and technology transfer.
Ajarin Pattanapanchai, permanent secretary of the Digital Economy and Society Ministry, said robotics is a new growth engine and the DE Ministry has so far intensively promoted automation and robotics technology.
"This event will be the first time that Thailand will present our potential in robotics and AI knowledge and technology development, and most importantly, our human resources," Ms. Ajarin said.
In addition to encouraging robotics R&D around the world, the event will have many categories of competition such as a robot football league, rescue robot league, robots to develop artificial intelligence and so on.
RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2017 will be held in conjunction with Thailand Robotics Week 2017 at Bitec during Dec 14-17 and at Mahidol University's Salaya Campus on Dec 18.
Some 40 startup teams are expected to pitch ideas for venture capital.