Thailand is ready to join other nations in peaceful development and utilization of space

Pakorn Apaphant, Ph.D., Executive Director of GISTDA, Thailand's Space Agency, delivered a statement emphasizing Thailand's unwavering commitment to collaborate with the global community in enhancing and harnessing the peaceful uses of space technology at the 66th session of the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (the 66th COPUOS) on June 2, 2023 in Vienna, Austria.

Dr. Pakorn emphasized that Thailand's key objectives are to

1) Substantially improve people's well-being: Thailand places a strong emphasis on converging diverse technologies with space technology to improve human welfare, boost the economy's competitiveness across all sectors, and lessen disparities in internet access and inequality, including the use of digital technology to deliver near real-time information.

2) Support and manage the impact of climate change and natural disasters: Thailand applies space technology to monitor, analyze and forecast climate change and natural disasters at the national and regional levels in cooperation with many international organizations to mitigate the potential harm to those affected.

3) Engage with the worldwide community to develop and use space technology: Thailand is collaborating with the international community, notably in connection to the United Nations to achieve development while maximizing benefits to people and the environment in the region.

In addition, Dr. Pakorn, Director of GISTDA, led Thailand's delegation and met with space agencies from other countries, including the Philippines Space Agency (PhilSA), the Office for Space Technology and Industry, Singapore (OSTIn), the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), to strengthen its network in a various fields related to space technology.

The GISTDA Director, who also serves as the Chair of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), stressed the significance of the three major priorities in the CEOS statement: to highlight accounting for carbon stocks to support UN policies and to collaborate with the private sector to create commercial engagement opportunities, including to expand the opportunity to widely access data from earth observation to benefit society and create opportunities for more equitable economic and social development.

UNCOPUOS is an annual forum of member states to exchange and discuss cutting-edge ideas and space-related issues for the peaceful development and utilization of space. This year meeting will be held between May 31 and June 9, 2023.