Illustrative image (Source: internet)Bangkok (NNT/VNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitakhas said Thailand must transform itself into a technology and innovation-driveneconomy to prepare for the decreasing role of manual labour.
He chaired the opening of the CEO InnovationForum 2018 under the title “Transforming Thailand Towards Science &Technology Frontier," which was organised at Queen Sirikit ConventionCenter by the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI).
In his keynote address, Somkid said science and technologyplay an ever-increasing role in the economy and society, and the country musttherefore stimulate science and technology investment.
Over the past two years, Thailand's annual GDP growth rate increased from 2.8percent to 4 percent. There are signs of further growth, due mainly to thetourism and export sectors, as well as domestic and foreign investments.
The government's Thailand 4.0 agenda focuses on economicmobility using science, technology, and innovation to coincide with rapidchanges in science and technology trends, such as changes in raw materials andproduction streamlining.
According to the deputy premier, the Ministry of Science and Technology is draftingpolicies to support ecosystems that foster innovation and S-curve industries.
STI Secretary-General Kitipong Promwong said this year, hisoffice will announce the latest statistics on investment in research anddevelopment (R&D). Last year, R&D investment topped 100 billion baht or0.78 percent of national GDP. Kitipong expressed confidence that the numberwill continue to grow to over 160 billion THB or 1 percent of GDP this year.-VNA
VNA
