THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Astro parks plan

Astro parks plan

In a budget request to be put to Cabinet today, the Science Ministry is seeking Bt406 million to build six astronomical parks and observatories, plus Bt8.64 billion to build science parks and related development projects across the country.

 

The so-called Astro Parks are a part of the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand’s plan for educational development based on science and technology – to make Thailand a knowledge-based country, according to the 2013 budget-request.
The Astro Parks would work and link with six observatories in Thailand, while coordinating their operations with Cerro Tololo International Observatory (CTIO) in Chile under North Carolina University. This institution works with astronomers in many Asian countries including Japan, China and South Korea. 
Each observatory consists of a museum, planetarium, telescope, meeting room and amphitheatre.
The science parks project would start next year and end in 2017, with a centre planned for each of the four major regions and many smaller parks in various provinces.
The regional centre in the North will focus on developing Thai rice to add value in the global market, while the one in the Northeast will develop the food industry with a focus on chicken. The one in the South would work mainly on developing the quality of rubber and expanding related industries.
 
RELATED
nationthailand