National Research Council unveils strategy to boost R&D
THE NATIONAL Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) recently unveiled the ninth edition of its strategy and policy for Thailand’s development, which will be implemented from 2017 to 2021 along with the 20-year National Development Strategy (2017-36).
The new plan will aim to promote more research and development by focusing on infrastructure development, developing human resources in research, and encouraging private-sector participation in research.
Sukunya Theerakullert, secretary-general of the NRCT, said every country had to use research for national development. Research and innovation could be utilised for national and commercial benefit. Innovation has influence on the country’s development as new technology could be developed and create smart citizens.
“Under the government’s … 20-year National Development Policy, Thailand is aimed towards being a country based on stability, prosperity and sustainability. To achieve that goal, Thailand needs to step away from the middle-income trap, and research and innovation could be an answer to help the country’s development,” she said.
The strategy aims to increase research spending to at least 1-1.5 per cent of gross domestic product, while doubling the number of researchers to 25 per 10,000 citizens.
Currently, spending on R&D in Thailand is only 0.48 per cent of GDP. The country is behind Malaysia, which has 19 researchers per 10,000 citizens, while Thailand has only 12.9.
The strategy will take action in many forms such as the “Training for the Trainer” project, granting scholarships for students in both undergraduate and vocational programmes to become researchers, inspiring innovation contests, and setting up learning centres for researchers not only in Bangkok but also other large cities.
Expos
Another plan is to setup a research expos as showcases for new research work and innovation so that they can be developed for commercialisation and the benefit of the country.
To enhance research, every sector needs to participate. Research should also be able to utilised in real life. This strategy will encourage more private enterprises to support research work.
Sukunya said the private sector needed to invest more on R&D. Overseas, private enterprise invests anywhere from 30 to 70 per cent more than the government sector on research work, but in Thailand, the government invests about 60 per cent of the total. The NRCT wants to get the public-private investment ratio to 50:50 in the near future.
In developed countries, most private enterprises invest in their own research so that they can utilise the results for commercialisation. Thailand will also encourage more private enterprises to do more research and innovation for the benefit of the economy, she said.
The “Thailand Research Expo” will take place from August 17 to 21 at Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Center, CentralWorld, Bangkok.
