Inventive spirit at Bangkok Mini Maker Faire
The renowned show that encourages a do-it-yourself mentality through a community of knowledge sharing, art, craft, engineering and science, is finally setting foot on Thai soil
The maker culture is an offshoot of the DIY movement, which prides itself on encouraging people to make or fix things
Maker Faire is an event that celebrates art, craft, engineering and science and was started in San Francisco and New York. It has since expanded all over the world to countries including Tokyo, Rome, Detroit, Oslo and Shenzhen and is now making its way to Thailand.
Bangkok Mini Maker Faire, a collaboration between Chevron Thailand and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), will be organised at Siam Square on Sept 26 and 27, showcasing innovations and inventions by the community of Thai and international makers and furthermore seeks to inspire a rise in a new generation of makers.
The maker culture is an offshoot of the do-it-yourself movement, which prides itself on encouraging people to make or fix various items on their own. Over the years, technological advancements have made hi-tech tools more accessible than ever before. Open source applications are available free of charge, while cutting-edge items like 3D printers have become more affordable. These shifts and changes have opened up great opportunities for modern inventors to integrate technology into their creations, leading to an unprecedented variety in the resulting works. Additionally, the internet’s ability to facilitate interactions between those sharing the same interests has made it simple for these inventors to exchange ideas and collaborate, paving the way for the strong maker movement we find today.
“We believe that the maker movement is an important foundational component in innovation,” said Hatairat Artcharte, the Chevron manager of Policy and Public Affairs. “The multitude of maker creations can become the roots of successful businesses that drive social and economic growth and propel Thailand further into the era of the digital economy and innovative society.”
Chevron is working with the NSTDA and maker groups to make the Bangkok Mini Maker Faire a showcase of ingenuity, a stage for exchanges of opinion and a platform for collaboration. “We expect the event to raise the public profile of the maker movement and inspire the rise of a new generation of makers,” she added.
At next month’s event, Chevron and NSTDA will also announce the winners of the 3D printing contest under “Enjoy Science: Let’s Print The World”, a project which aims to generate interest in STEM education, a learning innovation in which science, technology, engineering and mathematics are integrated, for students and the general public.
Selected from a total of 140 entries, the winners will get a chance to visit Maker Faire in Berlin, Germany, in October.
Chutayaves Sinthuphan, co-founder of coffee shop and design-focused maker space FabCafe, noted that Maker Faire abroad gathers together technology enthusiasts, craftsmen, educators, engineers, artists, designers and students, showing their creations and sharing their learnings.
“At Maker Faire in New York, people from all ages got involved with the event, from kindergarten kids to senior people aged 80 years old. In some countries such as Japan and China — which are the world’s production hub of electronics — the faire showcases the innovative crafts involved with technology,” he said. Maker spaces and maker groups in Thailand regularly organise activities such as training programmes and workshops for fellow makers as well as newcomers, including teenagers and children, to strengthen the community and raise its profile.
Defined as a combination of craft, invention, engineering and much more, makers are not only limited to 3D printing. Furthermore, being a maker is far more than just a hobby. Their inventions can be the foundation of thriving businesses that are uniquely capable of tailoring their products to match the needs of each individual customer in such a way that traditional mass production cannot compete.
A report on the economic impact of the maker movement published by Maker Media and Deloitte revealed that makers’ products were sold in more than one million stores in 2013, representing a total value of US$1.35 billion (48 billion baht). That figure alone underlines the importance of the maker movement as a spark for innovation that can ignite economic growth in the digital era, an age in which technology and inventions are always in demand.
NSTDA vice-president Kulprapa Navanugraha said a strong maker culture can make significant and sustainable contributions to the nations’ scientific and technological competitiveness.
“Maker culture is also about knowledge sharing and working together. Makers enjoy meet-ups that allow them to exchange information, help each other and bring new faces into the community.
“Each maker has their own set of skills and specialities and such group activities can speed up the creative process and lead to collaborations that result in new inventions or enhancements to existing ones. Maker spaces and events have helped foster this culture of sharing, which in turn has spurred the growth of the maker movement,” she said.
Besides a showcase of innovations and inventions, the event next month will include workshops and seminars for enthusiasts to engage in exchanges of knowledge and opinion, while also inspiring the general public with a spark of creativity.
The faire is open to submissions across the entire spectrum of innovation and creativity, including electronics, computer programs, music, food, woodcraft, metalwork, textile, 3D printing, drones, embedded computers and more, as long as they are backed by distinctive ideas and conceived and executed in the spirit of DIY.
More information surrounding application submissions is available at www. bangkokmakerfaire.com. Applications can also be submitted there. The application window will close at midnight on Aug 28 and the list of chosen participants will be revealed on the website on Sept 1. Qualified makers will be allocated spaces to showcase their work at the Bangkok Mini Maker faire free of charge as well as a chance to take part in the faire’s various activities including live demonstrations on the main stage and activity space, seminars, the post-event maker party and more. There is no admission fee for the general public to visit the event.