Understanding Chalermpon Punnotok’s vision through four lessons on building innovation, learning from experience and creating robots that support healthcare. 

In the near future robots will play a growing role in supporting people especially in areas where human resources are limited. Technology continues to push boundaries and close critical gaps so communities can access support that once felt out of reach. Robots are not meant to replace humans. Their purpose is to enhance human capability and extend the reach of care and service.

At the centre of this movement is CT Asia Robotics. In 2009 the company introduced Southeast Asia’s first service robot. The effort reflects the leadership and long-term vision of Chalermpon Punnotok, who seeks to strengthen Thailand’s technological capability while advancing innovation in medical technology and human wellness. The mission is clear: use robotics to support healthcare, improve quality of life and create a future where people and technology work side by side. 

The story behind this vision unfolds through a series of lessons that shaped Chalermpon’s path as an entrepreneur and innovator.

First Lesson: Start with a Clear Goal

Since his student years at the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy at Chulalongkorn University, Chalermpon showed strong interest in artificial intelligence. He believed robots would one day hold an important place in everyday human life.

Before he pursued that path, however, he made a decision to understand Western business models first. He believed global exposure would help him build something stronger for Thailand in the future.  With that goal in mind, he pursued an MBA at the University of Southern California. From a young age he carried a strong belief that he should create something meaningful for his country. Studying in America gave him a chance to observe global companies, learn how Western industries operate and bring that knowledge back home.

After graduation he joined GE Capital. The position did not sit in a high-tech division, but he soon discovered the company had a call centre department. Curious about the systems behind it, he applied for a role as project manager. There he studied every process and operational detail he could.

Second Lesson: Gain Knowledge and Experience from the Field

Once he felt ready, he returned to Thailand and set out to build call centre companies. Because he did not come from an engineering background, he sought strong technical partners. Within 18 months the team launched services under the name CT Asia. The company began with a capital of THB 300,000 and a small team of four people. 

The business grew quickly. Soon IBM made contact with plans to enter the Thai call centre market. The company offered Chalermpon the role of sole distributor in Thailand for its software. Within a year he closed nearly 10 projects for IBM with a combined value of tens of millions of baht. 

The company later reached annual revenue of around THB 50 to 60 million. Yet the success did not fulfil the deeper ambition of Chalermpon. He wanted Thailand to gain recognition for stronger achievements in technology. In 2009 he founded CT Asia Robotics with a new mission. His goal was to create the first service robot in Thailand and across ASEAN. The robot received the name Dinsaw, a Thai word chosen to honour his cultural roots.

Third Lesson: Progress Takes Time

Chalermpon  built his vision with patience and persistence. Progress did not happen overnight. Each step came through trial, experience and gradual improvement. In 2010 his team at CT Asia Robotics introduced 10 service robots to MK Restaurant. The robots could see, communicate and move autonomously without collision with people or obstacles. It marked an early moment when service robots entered everyday business in Thailand. 

The work soon reached beyond Thailand. In 2014 the team delivered 14 robots to a restaurant in Linköping, Sweden. The robots received food orders and delivered meals directly to customers’ tables. The project showed that robotics built in Thailand could operate on an international stage.

During this time Chalermpon also began to notice a growing challenge in ageing societies. Many children and grandchildren left home for work while elderly family members stayed alone. Reliable caregivers proved difficult to find and the cost often ran high. Loneliness also became a serious issue. Many elderly people lived alone, forgot medication or faced health problems without immediate help.

In response, he worked with hospitals in Thailand and Japan to develop robots that could help support elderly care and healthcare monitoring. In 2015 Chalermpon introduced the next generation of Dinsaw robots for elderly care. The concept centred on home AI assistance. The robot connected families, doctors and patients through a smart monitoring system. It could send alerts to relatives or physicians, allow remote monitoring through smartphones and provide health reminders such as medication schedules and basic vital checks. The idea followed a clear promise: 24-hour monitoring and direct connection with doctors.

Today Dinsaw robots operate in more than 50 hospitals across Thailand, including public medical universities and private hospitals. CT Asia Robotics has also developed specialised models such as Dinsaw Pro4 OPD for outpatient departments, Dinsaw Mini 3 IPD for hospital wards and Dinsaw Mini 3 Home AI for elderly care at home. 

Fourth Lesson: Improve, Grow and Move Forward

Beyond Thailand, Dinsaw has gained recognition in hospitals abroad, including those in Germany, Sweden and especially Japan, where the Dinsaw Mini model gained strong use in hospitals. This growing interest shows that technology developed in Thailand can deliver real value and compete internationally. 

The next phase for Chalermpon and Dinsaw is to look at new markets such as Canada, Hong Kong, South Korea and Indonesia. The goal reflects a bigger ambition for Thailand to stand out in medical robotics and technology that supports patients and elderly care. 

Looking ahead, Chalermpon envisions Dinsaw as an accessible medical assistant that can support people in both cities and rural communities. The long-term goal focuses on reducing inequality in healthcare access and bringing reliable medical support closer to everyday life. One idea that guides this vision is simple: one Dinsaw robot for every sub-district, so that technology can help extend care to every corner of the country.