The Kingdom of Thailand, renowned for its ancient ruins, Buddhist statues, and ornate temples, attracts millions of tourists each year. However, many historical sites are at risk of deterioration due to exposure to the natural elements over time. A humble university professor and CFD enthusiast, Dr. Mongkol Kaewbumrung has embarked on a self-inspired journey to predict the decay of ancient murals using advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. His effort is not without challenges, but he keeps innovating and inspiring others too.

We spoke with Dr. Kaewbumrung about the origins of his project and how he utilized the latest digital engineering solutions to overcome the challenges in his research.

► Please tell us a little bit about the background of your research.

“Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand represents the rich legacy of Thai art and culture. Preserving the ancient ruins and murals scattered across the region has become a challenge due to the risk of deterioration from environmental factors. Our goal was to develop a robust digital preservation system that accurately captures these invaluable cultural assets assisting their long-term preservation.”

► Did you face any challenges?

► Were you able to find a solution?

“By utilizing advanced digital engineering technologies such as Mosaic meshing in Ansys Fluent fluid simulation software, we were able to accurately model and analyze environmental conditions affecting the murals. This approach led us to identify potential risks and implement targeted preservation strategies significantly reducing the deterioration rate of these cultural treasures.”

“However, as the scale of the analysis grew due to the detailed modeling, our existing computational resources were insufficient to support the process.”

“We reached out to CYBERNET Malaysia in search of a solution.”

“They showed great interest in our research and proposed using the CYBERNET CAE Cloud service provided by CYBERNET Japan, which would allow us to access computational power as needed, whenever we needed it. We implemented this solution with localized support from CYBERNET Malaysia team.”

"The CYBERNET team provided the advanced technologies we needed, including Ansys software allowing us to create detailed 3D models, optimize conditions for preservation, and enhance data storage. This solution has delivered significant benefits to our organization, enabling us to achieve our preservation goals more effectively and efficiently."

► What made you choose the CYBERNET CAE Cloud, and were there any advantages?

“The deciding factor was ease of use. It offers flexible specifications (e.g., number of CPU cores, memory capacity, and storage) through AWS EC2^*1, and the configuration is simple. Even for those who are new to cloud computing, they can easily create and manage servers with a few mouse clicks using its web-based, user-friendly, intuitive GUI. The servers come with pre-installed Ansys software, so, the setup takes only about 10 minutes.”

"With the CYBERNET CAE Cloud, we were able to conduct large-scale analyses that were previously unattainable with our on-premise resources alone."

^*1 Amazon EC2 service: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) is a web service that provides secure, resizable computing capacity in the cloud. It is designed to make web-scale cloud computing easy for developers.

CYBERNET Solution

• Ansys Academic Research CFD
• Ansys HPC Pack
• CYBERNET CAE Cloud

► We heard that you support sustainability

“Our work is aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Our commitment to sustainable practices further boosted our credibility and influence in the global heritage conservation community.”

SDG’s and CYBERNET’s Commitment to Sustainability

As a leading technology company and a responsible corporate citizen, CYBERNET is committed to leveraging technology to develop solutions that have a positive impact on both the environment and society. For more details: Sustainability | CYBERNET

► Please tell us about your future goals.

“We aim to enhance our digital preservation efforts to safeguard cultural heritage sites for the long term. Building on current successes, we plan to integrate AI-driven predictive modeling and real-time environmental monitoring to better address threats like climate change and urban development. By collaborating with technology partners such as CYBERNET, international organizations, and research institutions, we seek to build a global network for preservation. We are also committed to training local communities to actively participate in protecting their cultural heritage.”

Conclusion

By using Ansys engineering simulation software along with the CYBERNET CAE Cloud services, Dr. Kaewbumrung and his team were able to accurately simulate the environmental factors that cause the decay of ancient murals, predict long-term risks, and implement more effective preservation strategies. They met their goals by setting a new standard for archeological preservation, not only in Thailand but also globally.

Thanks to the innovative utilization of cutting-edge digital engineering technologies and the dedication of passionate engineers like Dr. Kaewbumrung, ancient historical sites in Thailand now have a renewed hope of standing tall for generations to come.

The Research team

Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi

Epilogue

Rajamangala university signed a memorandum of understanding with CYBERNET Malaysia in 2023 to promote digital engineering awareness among the next generation of engineers in Thailand. Eventually, this collaboration paved the way for Dr. Kaewbumrung to leverage CYBERNET solutions for his research activities.

In May 2024, a delegation from CYBERNET Malaysia and ANSYS, Inc. visited the historical sites where Dr. Kaewbumrung and his team were conducting their research. During the visit, Dr. Kaewbumrung shared insights into the progress of their work and discussed how they plan to use 2D and 3D simulation technologies to thoroughly analyze the factors contributing to the degradation of ancient murals in the temples of Ayutthaya Province.

Dr. Kaewbumrung showing the ancient murals in Ayutthaya to a team of delegates from CYBERNET Malaysia and ANSYS, Inc. during the site visit.

Gilles Eggenspieler (Worldwide Academic Program Sales Director (ANSYS, Inc.), Aroop Tyagi (Director Academic Program APAC, ANSYS, Inc.), Sakakibara Takashi - COO & Technical Director at CYBERNET Malaysia, meeting with the representatives from Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI), the Senate Committee on Religion, Morality, Ethics, Arts and Culture, and Princess of Naradhiwas University.

About CYBERNET Malaysia

Cybernet Systems Malaysia Sdn.Bhd. supports customers in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and other ASEAN countries. They provide a wide variety of software, technical support, engineering services and training in areas such as Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), Vehicle Simulation, Casting Simulation, Tolerance Analysis, and Digital Engineering solutions that combine CAE with emerging technologies for Digital Transformation, such as IoT, AR-VR, Digital Twin, Big Data analysis, and AI. More details on http://www.cybernet.asia/

CYBERNET Malaysia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cybernet Systems Co., Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Since its establishment in 1985, CYBERNET has been recognized as a group of engineers proficient in both scientific and digital technologies. The company has provided solutions and consulting services in areas such as computer simulation, cybersecurity, AR/VR, and medical image processing. In recent years, they have expanded their range of solutions to include the innovation of engineering chains in manufacturing centered on CAE, MBD, and MBSE, as well as enhancing supply chains through the use of PLM and IoT. More details on https://www.cybernet.co.jp/english/

Contact Details

Any and all ANSYS, Inc. brand, product, service and feature names, logos and slogans are registered trademarks or trademarks of ANSYS, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries.
All other brand, product, service and feature names or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.

Photo Credit: Mongkol Kaewbumrung