Thailand's Hope Of Becoming A Self-Developed Technology Creator Is Getting Dim

[webfact]

Budget cuts 'a threat to future of research'

Wannapa Khaopa,

Chuleeporn Aramnet

The Nation

Thai hopes of becoming a creator of technology are getting dimmer, academics warn

BANGKOK: -- With less financial support for research on a national scale, Thailand's hope of becoming a self-developed technology creator is getting dim, researchers told The Nation recently.

When Thailand is compared with South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, it's clear all those countries had supportive measures and continuous financial support for research promotion plans. Their development was being driven far more solidly than Thailand's, they said.

"Our National Research University (NRU) project - with its networking and clustering approach - is designed to recommend crucial fields that Thailand should devote to resources and improvement based on what our findings suggest. The project also aims at strengthening the country's research efforts, said Assoc Prof Dr Wanchai De-Eknamkul, deputy director of the NRU Project.

"However, the government's decision to cut the project's research budget will leave us unable to achieve these goals," he warned.

All nine national research universities have worked together on mapping and managing direction for the project.

They have focused on conducting research in line with the country's needs, using top-down and bottom-up balances, not only the traditional bottom-up as before. Top-down approach means the universities have arranged important fields for researchers to work on, while bottom-up means individual researchers have submitted research proposals for grants separately based on their own interests, Wanchai said.

The project has six targeted clusters, including health, food and agriculture, industry (materials, science), energy, environment, and social science. "At first, we aimed at figuring out which clusters should be strongly emphasised and pushed forward. We wanted to guide improvement of the country's competitiveness and technology creation properly. But now we find we won't be able to reach that goal as the government has cut down the budget for the NRU project."

The project was initiated by the Democrat Party-led government with an approved budget of Bt5 billion for the nine universities from 2011-2013.

It approved Bt2 billion for 2011, another Bt2 billion for 2012 and Bt1 billion for 2013.

However, the actual allocation was Bt2 billion for 2011, Bt830 million for 2012 and Bt500 million for 2013.

"The universities planned their research projects according to the approved budget. Normally, each research project takes three to five years to complete. So, when the allocation was cut by almost half of the approved budget, some universities had to drop research projects," Wanchai added.

As a member of the team that assesses the universities' research projects annually, he said with lower financial support to the universities, the team had to lessen research output expectations.

"Unlike Thailand, the three countries have clear research plans and they have provided budget allocations according to the plans," he said.

Elsevier, a global provider of science and health information said an R&D survey of 2010 - based on information from Battelle research and development organisation, R&D Magazine, OECD, IMF and CIA - showed that Thailand invests around 0.2 per cent of gross domestic product in research, Malaysia nearly 1 per cent, Singapore more than 2 per cent and South Korea 3 per cent.

According to the National Research Council of Thailand, the annual research budget had been cut to 0.18 per cent of GDP for this year and next. The research budget allocated by the government amounts to Bt9.7 billion of the total annual budget allocation of Bt2 trillion for fiscal 2013. The private sector's research budget was put at Bt10 billion. Together the two budgets total Bt19.7 billion, which is about 0.18 per cent of GDP.

"Thai governments have paid most attention to applied research that can be applied to commercial purposes. But to become a knowledge or technology creator, we need basic research as well. South Korea and Malaysia have recognised the importance of basic research. Malaysia has its Fundamental Research Grant Scheme with a RM300 million (Bt3 billion) budget while South Korea has provided around 1 trillion KRW (Bt27.7 billion) to promote basic research," Wanchai said.

Based on practices in those countries, he urged the Thai government to seriously create a long-term research promotion plan with full support to carry out different types of research. "Change of government must not affect the plan and allocation," he said.

Presidents of some research universities also voiced concerns over research budget cuts.

Khon Kaen University president Assoc Prof Kittichai Triratanasirichai lamented some projects had to be halted due to less budget, even though the research was crucial for national improvement.

"Thailand doesn't have real research universities, which are given sufficient budget and focus more on producing postgraduate students. In fact, the universities have been given such a low budget they now cannot reduce their number of undergraduates. Fewer students means fewer tuition fees so they won't have enough money to operate."

Chulalongkorn University president Prof Pirom Kamolratanakul said the decrease in the NRU's project budget had affected long-term research.

"Please do not cut down the budget anymore, otherwise our nation won't be able to compete with others, " he said.

Chiang Mai University president Pongsak Angkasith said: "Budget is important for researchers to continuously work to gain knowledge and innovate, otherwise they may move to other developed countries that consider research crucial." He said he wanted the government to have a clear policy of research support and continue this support every year.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said at a recent seminar the government promised to support researchers and research projects that would help the country increase its competitiveness through the One Research Grant per One University project. The government wanted researchers to choose topics based on private sector needs so research results would be applied to benefit the entire country.

Big funds in Seoul

South Korea has allocated more than 3 trillion won (Bt83 billion) to basic research, university education capacity enhancement, fundamental technology, big sciences, academic research capacity enhancement, nuclear energy, international cooperation in science and technology and other fields.

Its Brain Korea 21 campaign supports graduate students, post-doctoral researchers and professors from 2006-12 with a budget of 1.23 billion won.

Its World Class University project from 2008-12 enhances research competencies and recruits excellent foreign researchers with a 726-million won budget.

Singapore targets growth areas

Singapore's research and development (R&D) investment is used to drive foreign investment and also improve socio-economic conditions. It has identified environmental and water technologies, plus interactive and digital media as two new growth areas for the city-state.

Other key areas of interest for R&D are public transport, public housing, healthcare and energy efficiency. The government spent US$6.3 billion (Bt197 billion) on R&D last year.

KL focuses on excellence, basic R&D

Malaysia's Higher Education Ministry has set out a full slate of initiatives for 2011-12. They include research universities and Apex University, establishing higher institutional centres of excellence, championing fundamental research through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, and promoting and propagating research-based innovations and commercialisation.

Malaysia's R&D budget goes to support projects such as the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme with 300 million ringgit (Bt3 billion), Exploratory, Long-Term and Prototype Research Grant schemes with 300 million ringgit, Research Incentive with 41 million ringgit and KPT Special Project with 100 million ringgit.

-- The Nation 2012-09-03

[cloudhopper]

Sorry but all the money in the world will not solve this problem.

[Rionoir]

How about starting with teaching and encouraging creativity in schools...

[KireB]

One thing I noticed while teaching in Thailand is that the students do not dare to guess, estimate, think out of the box or even dare to make mistakes. Students prefer not to answer, or just to copy rather than taking the risk of answering by themselves. Innovation starts with failure, and I fully agree with the above poster that all the money in the world won't help Thais becoming technological innovators (exceptions there of course).

[Soutpeel]

Well the done the nation...never seen the word "Hub" mentioned once.....or did I miss it in the text ?

[Soutpeel]

all the money in the world won't help Thais becoming technological innovators

what about bum guns ?

[Thai at Heart]

Comparing Korea and Thailand in this respect is chalk and cheese. A country that comes in the top 5 globally academically with an enormous amount of companies in heavy and light industry versus a country that is obsessed with its global position in rice exports and has one global company in cp, says it all.

[noahvail]

Perhaps history will record that the current government chose to waste money on populist policies rather than invest a relatively small amount into the future of the country.

I rather doubt that the hundreds of billions (or is it trillions over the next five years?) thrown at "flood control" will have the desired effect. Throwing money at a project does not ensure its success. With the sort of leaders such as the Science Minister who thought 1,000 boats pushing water downstream would speed up the removal of the flood waters...it's a sad time for Thailand.

[KireB]

all the money in the world won't help Thais becoming technological innovators

what about bum guns ?

Never knew they were Thai, but if so an absolute technological breakthrough on par with the wheel, radio,internet!.

[softgeorge]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

[KireB]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

[trainman34014]

The Thai answer is why create when you can copy !

[softgeorge]

The Thai answer is why create when you can copy !

Are you saying all these HUBS are actually pirated copies? I have been conned.

[sysardman]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

[softgeorge]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

It is that hose beside the toilet and when you point it at your ars^ and pull the trigger the water comes out your mouth.

[sysardman]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

It is that hose beside the toilet and when you point it at your ars^ and pull the trigger the water comes out your mouth.

So that's what it's for - I thought it was a drinking fountain

[terry101]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

It is that hose beside the toilet and when you point it at your ars^ and pull the trigger the water comes out your mouth.

Brilliant, you made my day

[billd766]

The best way for this to happen is to FIRE EVERY executive and wannabe in th e education ministry and replace them with only 10% of Asians from Singapore, S Korea, Malaysia etc and make them turn the whole education system around and in one generation Thais could possibly be half as smart as the rest of Asia and 1,000% smarter than they think they are.

[jshorts]

Comparing Korea and Thailand in this respect is chalk and cheese. A country that comes in the top 5 globally academically with an enormous amount of companies in heavy and light industry versus a country that is obsessed with its global position in rice exports and has one global company in cp, says it all.

What is "cp"?

[1weatherman]

Well the done the nation...never seen the word "Hub" mentioned once.....or did I miss it in the text ?

Not seen once in the article. Obviously an oversight on the editors part. But now that Thailand will not be a hub of technology, and thus the only hub it doesn't have, this will rank up there with the fall of the Roman Empire.

[Soutpeel]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

It is that hose beside the toilet and when you point it at your ars^ and pull the trigger the water comes out your mouth.

When I first came here I thought it was to wash your feet although these I must admit that when I leave Thailand for the last time and go home, it will be one of the few "thai" things I will take with me...after all these years of using a Bum gun my bottom has never been healther..

[Soutpeel]

Well the done the nation...never seen the word "Hub" mentioned once.....or did I miss it in the text ?

Not seen once in the article. Obviously an oversight on the editors part. But now that Thailand will not be a hub of technology, and thus the only hub it doesn't have, this will rank up there with the fall of the Roman Empire.

do you think we should complain to the Nation ?...

[geriatrickid]

Lost in the discussion is the role of Private companies and individuals. Have a look at the campuses of many universities around the world. Buildings and research facilities have been donated by grateful alumni. In other cases, individuals just give. Lately, it has been some wealthy Hong Kong Chinese that have made a splash in Australia and Canada where they received their university educations.

And now let's look at Thailand. Not much is there?

The onus is on the wealthy in a society and a university's alumni to contribute, and they do not do this as generously in Thailand as elsewhere.

[sysardman]

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

It is that hose beside the toilet and when you point it at your ars^ and pull the trigger the water comes out your mouth.

When I first came here I thought it was to wash your feet although these I must admit that when I leave Thailand for the last time and go home, it will be one of the few "thai" things I will take with me...after all these years of using a Bum gun my bottom has never been healther..

Me being a poor uneducated, untravelled peasant is this really a Thai invention or do other countries have similar?. I do know that it is actually based on the bidet so can we call it an invention or a poor man's copy?.

[belg]

thailand, hub of illegal copies, knockoffs and what more ... stick to your trade, do what you do best

[sysardman]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

It is that hose beside the toilet and when you point it at your ars^ and pull the trigger the water comes out your mouth.

I bet King Midas the man who turned everything he touched to gold would have loved one of these - from what I heard he had piles of gold.

[GentlemanJim]

There is not much room for scalping tea money off the top in research projects, no wonder the budgets were slashed as soon as PTP came in power.

[Skywalker69]

OMG this is terrible news. Can they still Keep the Title of Technology HUB?

One of my Thai family members, kid you not, thinks that Sony is Thai.

Many Thais I talk with really believe Thailand invented cars, motorbikes, computers, cellphones etc etc. just because they jumped on the copy bandwagon they think that is classed as invention.

PS what's a bum gun? I live a sheltered life.

It is that hose beside the toilet and when you point it at your ars^ and pull the trigger the water comes out your mouth.

It brushes your teeth simultaneously. Great innovation.

[ramrod711]

Lost in the discussion is the role of Private companies and individuals. Have a look at the campuses of many universities around the world. Buildings and research facilities have been donated by grateful alumni. In other cases, individuals just give. Lately, it has been some wealthy Hong Kong Chinese that have made a splash in Australia and Canada where they received their university educations.

And now let's look at Thailand. Not much is there?

The onus is on the wealthy in a society and a university's alumni to contribute, and they do not do this as generously in Thailand as elsewhere.

I have always assumed that alumni contribute to their Alma mater because they appreciate the education they received. I also assume that not very many Thai graduates appreciate getting a diploma that is useless anywhere else in the world. I'm not trying to be funny, this is a sad situation. KireB hit the nail on the head about Thai students, they are not encouraged to think outside the box.

[Thai at Heart]

Comparing Korea and Thailand in this respect is chalk and cheese. A country that comes in the top 5 globally academically with an enormous amount of companies in heavy and light industry versus a country that is obsessed with its global position in rice exports and has one global company in cp, says it all.

What is "cp"?

Charoen Pokhapand, affectionately known as Chicken People