Thailand² Nation of Master sets out three key innovation strategies
Siam Silica, Siam Medica and Siam Terra focus on semiconductors, healthcare and higher-value farming, with skills and research commercialisation also prioritised.
- The "Thailand² Nation of Master" programme will be driven by three key innovation strategies: Siam Silica, Siam Medica, and Siam Terra.
- The Siam Silica strategy aims to position Thailand as a semiconductor and chip industry hub, focusing on photonic chip technology, chip design, and attracting multinational companies.
- The Siam Medica strategy focuses on advancing the nation's medicine and wellness industry by combining local herbs and raw materials with biotechnology to develop new medical products and devices.
- The Siam Terra strategy seeks to transform Thai agriculture by using smart farming and biotechnology to shift from selling raw produce to creating high-value agricultural and food products.
Capt Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn, deputy government spokesperson, announced on Thursday (October 29, 2026) that the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council had approved the national “Thailand² Nation of Master” programme at its fourth meeting of 2026.
The programme focuses on technology and innovation that Thailand can develop and produce itself, with the aim of turning them into businesses, creating highly skilled jobs and providing sustainable income opportunities for the public. It will be driven by three main strategies: Siam Silica, Siam Medica and Siam Terra.
Three key strategies to drive Thailand’s economy
1. Siam Silica: Positioning Thailand as a semiconductor and chip hub
The strategy focuses on developing the semiconductor, or chip, industry. Chips are at the heart of electronic devices and electric vehicles (EVs).
Focus: Photonic chip technology, power management, chip design and advanced chip assembly technology.
Target: Attract multinational companies to establish eight chip design centres in Thailand by 2030, while supporting Thai start-ups to develop a highly skilled workforce.
2. Siam Medica: Advancing medicine and the wellness industry
The strategy aims to upgrade the health industry by combining herbs and local raw materials with biotechnology.
Focus: Developing medicines, medical products, medical devices and personalised medicine.
Target: Establish a digital health data system and promote investment incentives to help Thai medical businesses compete internationally.
3. Siam Terra: Transforming Thai agriculture through high-value products and smart farming
Siam Terra aims to shift agriculture from selling primary raw produce towards producing high-value agricultural and food products.
Agricultural innovation: Use smart farming and biotechnology for precision crop breeding.
Regulatory reform: Develop a one-stop service to streamline procedures for certifying the benefits of future food products, and support animal vaccine factories to position Thailand as an animal health hub for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Developing people and Thailand’s innovation infrastructure
Alongside these three strategies, the council emphasised human resource development through lifelong learning, reskilling and upskilling to meet the needs of emerging industries, while advancing the following key policies:
- Accelerating the Thai Innovation List: Remove barriers so government agencies can procure Thai research outputs and innovations and put them to practical use.
- Promoting university holding companies: Encourage universities to establish joint ventures to turn shelved research into commercial businesses.
- Setting standards for the quantum economy: Prepare infrastructure to support cooperation with leading global technology organisations.
Using deep tech and artificial intelligence to address national problems
The Thailand² Nation of Master programme also covers the approval of advanced technology projects to address major national problems, including:
Forest fire monitoring: Use heat detectors and sensors developed by the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) to detect hotspots and enable prompt firefighting.
Artemis space mission: Send three research projects by Thai researchers to take part in space exploration in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Artificial intelligence (AI) applications: Use AI to accelerate the development of Thailand’s science and technology.
Conclusion: Implementing the council’s policy framework in cooperation with 10 ministries marks a significant step towards taking research and science beyond the laboratory and putting them to practical use to create jobs, add value to products and improve the quality of life of all Thai people.
