Thailand Rises to 41st in Global Innovation Index

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ASEAN NOW file

 

Thailand has achieved its highest position in the Global Innovation Index (GII) in a decade, climbing to 41st place among 133 economies, as reported by the National Innovation Agency (NIA).

 

This marks a notable improvement from last year's 43rd position and solidifies Thailand's third place among ASEAN countries, following Singapore and Malaysia.

 

The GII, developed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), assesses countries' innovation capabilities using around 80 indicators, grouped into inputs and outputs. The top innovators globally include Switzerland, Sweden, and the United States, with Singapore leading in ASEAN.

 

Thailand's enhanced ranking is attributed to significant improvements in both input and output sub-indexes of innovation capability, indicating successful strategies in promoting innovation, according to Krithpaka Boonfueng, the NIA's executive director.

Notably, the country excels in business system innovation indicators, particularly in gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD).

 

However, Thailand still faces challenges in areas such as ICT service exports and education spending as a percentage of GDP. These sectors require more effort to enhance the country’s innovation landscape.

 

Ms Krithpaka emphasised the need for greater government involvement in steering the national innovation agenda. Stronger partnerships between public sector researchers and private enterprises are vital to understanding and meeting market demands.

 

To bolster these efforts, the Ministry of Commerce plans to promote collaborative initiatives between government and industry to further boost Thailand’s innovation capabilities.

 

This alignment aims to harness the potential of Thailand’s innovation landscape and position it for continued growth on the global stage.

 

The recent rise in the GII ranking reflects Thailand's commitment to fostering an environment conducive to innovation and development, paving the way for future achievements and enhanced global competitiveness, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-11-18