AIT among founding members of Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) is among the founding signatories of the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi), a project initiated under the Eastern Economic Development Plan that focuses on creating a science hub in the Asean region.
Fifty organisations from academia, national and international research groups, governmental bodies and the private sector are signatories to the EECi.
The EECi will be spread across two campuses, with the 485-hectare Wang Chan Valley Campus in Rayong comprising ARIPOLIS (for automation, robotics, and intelligent systems) and BIOPOLIS (for life science and biotechnology). Another 19.4-hectare campus called Space Krenovation Park (SKP) will be located in Sri Racha, Chon Buri province, and it will specialise in the aeronautic and aerospace industry.
Science and Technology Minister Atchaka Sibunruang said the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) had been tasked by the ministry to establish EECi by forging a partnership with various organisations. This will help Thailand leverage science, technology and innovation, as well as boost the country’s competitiveness and people’s quality of life, she said.
NSTDA director Narong Sirilertworakul added: "Innovation is key to Thailand in order to escape the medium-income trap.”
Academic partners of the project include AIT, Chiang Mai University, Chulalongkorn University, Kamnoetvidya Science Academy, Kasetsart University, Khon Kaen University, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Mahidol University, Naresuan University, Prince of Songkla University, Suranaree University of Technology, the Thai-German Institute, Thammasat University, the Vidyasirimedhi Institute, and Walailak University.
International research institutes include the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, the Japan-Asean Science, Technology and Innovation Platform, Kyoto University, Tokyo Tech, and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Institute.
Thai research institutes that are a part of EECi are the Department of Industrial Promotion, the Department of Science Service, Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Public Organization), the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization), the National Institute of Metrology, the National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office, the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, the Centre of Excellence for Life Science (Public Organization), and the Thailand Automotive Institute. There are the 20 private-sector partners in the project.
