NIA and Partners Jointly Create “Innovation Thailand Alliance” To “Revive the Country with Thai Innovations”

The launch of Innovation Thailand Alliance aims to strengthen Thailand’s brand as an innovation nation and promote Thai innovation for crafted living to everyone in Thailand and the rest of the world. This alliance is made possible by the contribution of public agencies, private organizations, educational institutions, and civil societies. It currently comprises 73 organizations. These allies will act as ambassadors in the campaign to rebrand Thailand as an innovation nation by raising awareness and pride in innovative Thai creations. At the same time, they will be able to share their knowledge and expertise with one another. Currently, 73 bodies have responded to the invitation to join the network, all of whom are eager to drive Thailand towards the target of being ranked among the top 30 innovative countries in the world by 2030, and transforming Thailand into an innovation-driven nation.

According to Adjunct Professor Dr. Anek Laothamatas, Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation, Thailand’s 20-year national strategy, in which the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is a recurring theme seeking to ensure stability, prosperity, sustainability by transforming Thailand into a developed country. This ambitious goal requires a great deal of knowledge and advancement in science, technology, research and development, and innovation. It also necessitates the development of qualified workforces and the establishment of clear innovation-related directions and policies. These elements must be dynamic and flexible enough to keep up with rapid global changes. One aspect of the national strategy outlines the transformation of Thailand into an innovation-driven economy. Its success relies on the ministry’s ability to incubate innovative entrepreneurs and develop an innovation ecosystem to facilitate the creation and transformation of innovative products into economic and social value. To this end, the ministry strives to decentralize innovation by expanding access to the infrastructure for science, technology, and innovation to other regions of the country. Additionally, the ministry sees the critical role that innovation can play in social betterment and will be fostering the development of innovative social businesses and the creation of a social innovation network to promote equality in Thailand.

NIA Director Dr. Pun-Arj Chairatana said, “Thailand is facing a number of challenges: the middle-income trap with high manufacturing costs and new forms of competition in the global supply chain; inequality, including inadequate access to government services, digital technology, and education; and environmental issues, such as PM 2.5, drought, water supply salinity, and flooding. It is time for Thailand to prepare for an overhaul. Believing that ‘innovation’ will be the solution to these national issues, NIA has expanded the scope of our Innovation in Thailand platform to revive the country with Thai innovations.”

Innovation Thailand’s mission is to propel Thailand towards becoming an Innovation Nation. To this end, it has laid out the following four frameworks:

1) Innovation Thailand’s Positioning: Thailand to be placed in the top 30 of the Global Innovation Index by 2030 to solidify Thailand’s new image as an innovation nation on the global stage;

2) Innovation Thailand DNA: to promote Thai DNA characteristics that cater to the seven aspects of crafted living;

3) Innovation Thailand Alliance: to build a countrywide network of public agencies, private organizations, educational institutions, and civil societies to enhance Thailand’s strength in the global markets;

and 4) Innovation Thailand Dashboard: to collect and connect a wide range of innovation facts and figures from various sectors across the country.

To see innovations that Thai people are proud of, please visit www.innovationthailand.org  or the Innovation.THA Facebook page. Moreover, to see general innovation knowledge, as well as information about innovative services from various agencies and useful infrastructure systems that will drive the creation and application of innovations, please visit https://data.nia.or.th