Science and a creative economy crucial: Prayut

Speaking to representatives of the Association of Thai Professionals in America and Canada (ATPAC) at a California hotel on Sunday afternoon, Prayut said his government has a clear policy to utilise science and the creative economy for economic development. 

Prayut was in the United States for the two-day US-Asean summit at Rancho Mirage in California. He welcomed ideas and suggestions from Thai professional associations in the US. 

The government was willing to cooperate with developed countries in order to have a technology transfer from them, he said and added that private investment in innovation and technology was welcomed.

The government was promoting special economic cluster zones, the premier told the representatives of ATPAC.

During the meeting, representatives of ATPAC also told Prime Minister Prayut that they supported the government’s policy to use science and technology for development, as Thailand needed to compete with other nations, according to Werachon. 

Engineers from the ATPAC who are keen on water management were ready to cooperate with the government for water management in the country, he said. 

Prayut said the US-Asean summit, which he attended yesterday (and is due to attend later tonight Bangkok time), would benefit the relations between the US and Asean. 

The government would do its best to get a better understanding from the US that Thailand needs to reform and move ahead, he said.

The Sunnylands summit showed that Washington considers Asean very important, he said.