DJOP partners with AIS to introduce "Online Distance Visiting Relatives" project via AIS Fibre Offering parents warmth and the chance to cheer up juveniles at DJOP on Family Day

Thursday 11 April 2019 13:35
The Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection (DJOP) has partnered with AIS in applying a 100% pure Fibre Optic connection with Smart Messaging and Skype for Business technologies to develop the "Online Distance Visiting Relatives" project. This makes it convenient for families to visit with and cheer up their children at the DJOP via smartphone.

The DJOP is pioneering the project at the two child and youth training centers in Chiang Mai and Ratchaburi provinces, and the response has been very good. The department is confident that the project can eventually deliver love and good cheer from the family to the juveniles and return good people to society.

Speaking at the inception of the "Online Distance Visiting Relatives" project, DJOP's Director-General Mr. Sahakarn Petchnarin explained: "A key factor in the treatment, improvement and rehabilitation of juveniles is the family institute. The DJOP has therefore created the Online Distance Visiting Relatives program for juveniles at its Child and Youth Training Centers. The project allows them to meet in real time parents or relatives who live far away. In the past, the parents had to travel to the centers if they wanted to visit their children."

The Child and Youth Training Center, District 7, Chiang Mai is responsible for 7-8 provinces including Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Phrae and Nan. The Child and Youth Training Center, District 2, Ratchaburi, meanwhile, also covers many provinces. Each time they visited their children at the centers, parents had to spend for travel, accommodation and food. Now if parents in Mae Hong Son want to visit their children at the center in Chiang Mai, they just come to a computer room at the Mae Hong son center and Skype the center in Chiang Mai, speaking to their children via an online conference system.

With the aim of making treatment and rehabilitation more effective while provide convenience to parents when visiting their children, the DJOP has partnered with AIS to deliver the Online Distance Visiting Relatives project. This system will enable the parents to visit their children through a wireless system. Parents can directly contact their children via smartphone anywhere and at any time, no matter where they are.

Parents can communicate with their children even though they are working in remote areas.

For example, if a mother is working in South Korea, this system will enable her to contact her child. The result is closer relations with the family, better communications and an opportunity to create love and strengthen relationships among the family members. Now, the parents can contact their children wherever they are without losing them from the family institute. This is considered crucial to improving, treating, and rehabilitating the juveniles before they return to society.

Thanks to the partnership with AIS, the DJOP has not had to spend any of its budget on the project. In addition, the system enables the DJOP to provide a more convenient service to the public and reduce costs incurred in visiting the children. The project is good for the organization as it brings it into the digital technology era. In addition to the development of the IT system, Big Data is adopted for data analysis. Furthermore, the DJOP under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice, is moving forward with its IT development, in line with the government's Thailand 4.0 policy.

The trial at the two child and youth training centers has gained high levels of satisfaction from the parents and generated a lot of interest in the project, as it has allowed them to visit with their children more frequently while reducing their travel costs.

In the future, if the DJOP has an opportunity to join with AIS, the department will be able to expand the online service into other areas. In the beginning, the system is expected to connect all child and youth training centers nationwide and this is the first priority.

In a later stage, the system will be expanded to cover the Juvenile Observation and Protection Centers which observe the juveniles during the legal process. Its aim is to improve services for the public and promote love and strengthen relationships as well as build warmth among the families even though the youth are still held in the centers.

Mrs. Amornratana Charnpreechaya, Head of Public Relations at AIS said: "As the country's leading digital life service provider, we are determined to develop the digital infrastructure of mobile and internet high-speed broadband or AIS Fibre networks, as well as digital services to support Thais in enjoying maximum efficiency in their digital lifestyles. In addition to strengthening the public and private sectors, AIS also develops and designs solutions to meet the demands of each organization. The partnership between AIS Fibre and the DJOP is a case in point. We're glad to provide this support by deploying AIS Fibre network and Digital Solution to develop the "Online Distance Visiting Relatives" project. The parents can easily visit the children via their mobile phones from anywhere, both inside and outside the country".

Mrs. Amornratana pointed out that not only does the system save time and the expenses required for visiting the youth, but the project is in line with AIS' belief of the importance of the family institute. The project can strengthen the family bond and act as a medium to send love, warmth, care and good cheers to the youngsters at the Juvenile Observation and Protection Center. This can make them overcome obstacles and develop themselves as they prepare to return to society and become part of the crucial workforce of the nation.

Mr. Saran Phaloprakarn, Head of Fixed Broadband at AIS, added: "We chose the best technologies to meet the needs of the DJOP which comprise high-speed internet broadband with a 100% pure fibre optic. It delivers a clear and stable image signal and Smart Messaging System, which connects Skype Solutions for business. Parents will receive notifications via an SMS to press Link. Then, they can talk to their children in form of a VDO call via smartphone. The system can support a maximum of 5 visiting calls simultaneously from various locations. The system and the set of advanced computers allow parents working in the provinces or overseas to get the service conveniently. Since the introduction of the service at the two centers in Chiang Mai and Ratchaburi in February 2019, the parents or elderly relatives in remote areas and those working abroad have all been able to cheer up their children conveniently."

Steps for the use of the Online Distance Visiting Relatives service

- Before using the system, parents have to register and get verification from the DJOP. They can then download the Skype for Business application via the iTUNE or PLAY STORE

- Every time they wish to visit the youth, the parents have to make an appointment (day and time) with the DJOP

- When the parents get the LINK via SMS, they can press the LINK to enter the system in the form of a VDO call

"The "Online Distance Visiting Relatives" project has been introduced to mark Family Day. It plays a role in cheering up youth who have made mistakes by adopting technology that opens opportunities for sending good wishes and warmth and supports them to return as quality members of society. The project is a good example of the strong partnership between a government agency, the DJOP, and the private sector by AIS Fibre, which brings benefits to society and is in line with the government's Palang Pracharath policy, which is the public-private partnership model," Mr. Saran concluded.