Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport opened the 5th International Conference on Highway Engineering (iCHE 2024) under the theme 'Future-proofing Roads for Asia and Beyond' to upgrade highway transport infrastructure to international standards and promote sustainable transport progress worldwide. Mr. Chaiyatham Promsorn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, presided over the opening ceremony of the 5th International Conference on Highway Engineering (iCHE 2024) under the theme of 'Future-proofing Roads for Asia and Beyond', organized by the Department of Highways, Ministry of Transport, in collaboration with the Highways Association of Thailand at the BITEC Bangna Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok. The event was attended by media, guests, executives, experts, and academics from both domestic and international levels, educational institutions, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs to share their knowledge and drive research and innovations on road works under the theme of 'Futur e - proofing Roads for Asia and Beyond' to elevate the standards of highway infrastructure that is ready for the future world. This is the first time in Thailand that the alliance of important international highway organizations, including the World Road Association (PIARC) and the Highways Confederation of Asia and Australasia (REAAA), have joined the seminar and exchanged knowledge to jointly create a platform for brainstorming, disseminate work, and share knowledge and experiences, aiming to transform the future of highway transportation in Asia and the borderless region at the international level. Mr. Chaiyatham Promsorn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, said that today, he was assigned by Mr. Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Minister of Transport, to preside over the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Highway Engineering. He is very pleased to know that our Ministry of Transport plays an important role in developing the transportation infrastructure system. This initiative is important to enhance the competitiveness and promote the development of the country. Our commitment to investing in infrastructure will help ensure a comprehensive and systematic network both domestically and internationally. Our goal is to improve the quality of travel and transportation to meet international standards, reduce logistics costs, increase competitiveness, create employment opportunities, distribute prosperity to all regions, and improve the quality of life of the people. This demonstrates our shared commitment to develop highway engineering and promote the advancement of sustainable transportation worldwide. I am confident that this conference will provide valuable information and knowledge to everyone at this event. Mr. Sarawut Songsivilai, Director-General of the Department of Highways, revealed that today's conference aims to provide participants with valuable knowledge in highway engineering from internationally recognized experts, including insights into cutting-edge innovations, modern d esign and construction methods adapted to climate change, as well as the latest information on materials, transportation developments, and sustainable road construction. The conference also aims to enable delegates to apply the knowledge and skills gained from lectures, academic presentations, exhibition site visits, and discussions on current and future projects. It also includes promoting networking among participants, which will support future advancements in highway engineering and related fields. This international academic conference is a collaboration between several organizations, including the World Highway Association, the Highway Engineering Association of Asia and Australia, the Highway Association of Thailand, as well as partners, supporters, businesses, and distributors from around the world. The event consists of exhibitions, workshops, technical conferences, and M-Flow knowledge exchange seminars. The Department of Highways has worked hard to prepare for this event to help drive the developme nt of Thailand's highway infrastructure to be modern, up-to-date with changes, and support future economic and social growth, and sustainably elevate Thailand's highway transportation to an international level. Source: Thai News Agency