State agency wants greater focus on space tech to benefit the economy
The government should speed up space technology development to boost Thailand's economy, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) said on Tuesday.
Gistda executive director Pakorn Apaphant made the remarks during a seminar "Technology to change the world" at Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok.
The seminar is a part of a forum "Innovation to drive Thailand's future" organised by Nation Group.
He said space is important for improving Thailand's economy, agriculture, and other fields.
For instance, people rely on the global positioning system application for travelling, while following up on flood and air pollution from satellite readings, he explained.
He said the government has been paying attention to investment in space-related infrastructure.
He added that the government has also joined hands with partners on space technology development, such as Theos-2, Thailand’s first satellite for earth exploration, which is being prepared for a launch in early 2023.
Gistda recently joined hands with Korea Aerospace Research Institute to study the possibility to build a space port in Thailand, he added.
"Space technology can help boost Thailand's economy as it can create new jobs," he said, adding that it could also help improve people's quality of life.
He advised the government to prepare space-related infrastructure and study what would happen in the next 20 years.
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