The Software Industry Promotion Agency (Sipa) is to collaborate on research and development of intelligent traffic systems with the French National Institute for Transport and Safety Research (INRETS).

According to a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations, the collaboration, for a period of three years, will cover three areas of technology: traffic simulation, traffic management and traffic impact evaluation research and development.

Sipa director Rungruang Limchoopatipa said the collaboration would allow Thai software companies and prospective customers and users to employ INRETS' software tools and algorithms, as well as being trained in the use of these technologies.

Sipa plans to involve local software companies, on one hand, and potential users, including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Traffic and Transportation Department on the other.

"Local software developers can join in and use the software tools and algorithms in developing their own traffic and transportation software and solutions. We expect that within the next few years we will have completed commercial products in this area. Then, we can work with INRETS to expand the use of Thai traffic and transportation software and solutions in overseas markets, especially in Europe," Rungruang said.

At the same time, Sipa will work with organisations responsible for traffic and transportation in Thailand, including the Thai Traffic Police, the Expressway Authority of Thailand, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning and the Department of Land Transport, to expand the collaboration and assist in their deployment of new technologies to improve Thailand's traffic and transportation.

"We will help both the supply and demand sides. Our role is to encourage the development of local software and solutions for traffic and transportation, to encourage their local adoption, and eventually to support efforts to sell them overseas," he said.

INRETS is a French government organisation that specialises in transport and safety research and has experienced in developing technologies to help improve traffic congestion.

The research director for INRETS' Transport Network and Advanced Software Engineering Laboratory, Habib Haj-Salem, said Bangkok and Paris were similar cities in terms of traffic congestion, included factors like the size of the city, the population and the number of vehicles.