Latest news with #Pun
Bangkok Post
27-06-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Mama maker shelves expansion in Hungary
Thai President Foods Plc, the manufacturer of Mama instant noodles, has postponed further investment in Hungary, citing rising costs and an unfavourable labour policy. Pun Paniangvait, general manager of Thai President Foods, said earlier this year the company planned to double production capacity in the country in 2025. This plan included adding a new facility at the existing site, which only utilises half of the available space. Mr Pun said the company planned to take Thai employees to work at the new facility, given their expertise in the manufacturing process. However, the Hungarian authorities only grant work permits to foreign workers for a period of 2-3 years. Furthermore, construction costs and energy prices for the area around the facility have risen, extending the return on investment period to seven years, which does not align with the company's goals, he said. As a result, the company will continue to operate at its current facility, said Mr Pun. The company postponed the investment until policies better aligned with the company's plans are implemented. The Hungarian facility has a production capacity of 600,000 pieces a day, he said. As of January 2025, the company was operating 29 pieces of production machinery in Thailand. Thai President added new machinery to its Lamphun plant last year and plans to add machinery at its Rayong plant this year, said Mr Pun. The production machinery is made to order by the manufacturer and requires a substantial amount of time to prepare. The waiting period for the machinery is longer than normal, he said. In Thailand, the company's production capacity is 7 million pieces a day. The company reported rising demand for big packs of Mama noodles as well as premium items such as Mama Ok. This spike in demand for premium products added capacity constraints for this segment, including the production of Mama Ok, said Mr Pun. However, its more affordable products, such as 7-baht packs of Mama noodles, still have capacity to spare, allowing for potential expansion, he said.
Hypebeast
31-05-2025
- Science
- Hypebeast
You Can Now Turn Text Prompts Into Lego Designs With LegoGPT AI
Summary Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have unveiled a groundbreaking newAImodel called LegoGPT, designed to bridge the gap between natural language and physical creation. This innovative system can transform text prompts into fully buildable LEGO models, specifically focusing on vehicles. Imagine simply typing 'a red sports car with big wheels' or 'a blue spaceship with pointy wings,' and having the AI instantly generate instructions for assembling it with LEGO bricks. That's the promise of LegoGPT. The system operates by understanding natural language and processing and interpret the descriptive elements of a text prompt. It then translates the words into LEGO geometry, turning concepts into a 3D LEGO model, taking into account the unique constraints and connectivity of LEGO bricks. It provides step-by-step instructions that a human builder can follow to construct the physical model. According todezeen, the team, which is led by Ava Pun, a PhD student at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and one of the study's coauthors, hope to expand the AI model beyond LEGOs to give it real-world applications to help 'architects design structurally sound buildings or designers create custom furniture.' Pun shared with the publication, 'We wanted to bring user imagination into the physical world. Imagine if you could type in a prompt or show us a picture of a chair, and boom – we could actually make that product and ship it to you in a week or two.' This development is a significant leap in AI's ability to translate abstract ideas into tangible forms. It showcases advancements in generative AI, computational design, and robotics, demonstrating how AI can aid in creative design and engineering processes. While currently focused on vehicles, the potential applications for LEGO-GPT are vast, from educational tools to rapid prototyping and even assisting LEGO designers themselves. It's a playful yet powerful example of AI moving beyond virtual spaces into the realm of physical construction.
South China Morning Post
12-02-2025
- South China Morning Post
Abby Choi's ex-husband wanted yacht out of Hong Kong at any cost, court hears
A defendant accused of trying to help the ex-husband of slain model Abby Choi Tin-fung flee Hong Kong has said she was told to arrange a yacht 'as soon as possible' and at any cost, with a fee of HK$300,000 (US$38,500) being quoted at one point. Advertisement But Irene Pun Hau-yin denied in Kowloon City Court on Wednesday that she knew she was aiding murder suspect Alex Kwong Kong-chi. The defendant said she was suspicious of the identity of the man seeking to rent a yacht with the help of Pun's friend, identified only as Ivy. Pun added that Ivy had approached her on February 24, 2023. 'But being suspicious doesn't mean someone is a criminal. He might simply have had some difficulties,' she said. Pun added that she had become close friends with Ivy between 2015 and 2016, adding that she had sometimes stayed at Ivy's residence in Taipa, Macau. Ivy has been named in case details but is not a defendant in the trial. Advertisement The court heard that Ivy had asked Pun to connect her with the other defendant, Lam Shun, who was a yacht rental agent at the time.
