ICT to amend law as Science Ministry pushes for a more innovative society

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ICT to amend law as Science Ministry pushes for a more innovative society
Usanee Mongkolporn,
Asina Pornwasin
The Nation


Pornchai Rujiprapa

BANGKOK: -- The Information and Communications Technology Ministry will set up a committee with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to amend the Frequency Allocation Act and define clearer roles for the two sides.

The Science and Technology Ministry, meanwhile, will work to drive Thailand beyond the middle-income trap into an innovative society.

Both ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa and Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj delivered policy speeches yesterday while taking office for the first time.

Pornchai said his other priorities included amending computer and e-commerce-related laws and improving the financial performance of state telecom enterprises. The joint committee will identify and reduce redundant work within the next two months and soon completely define the areas in the frequency law it will amend for the ministry to forward to the National Legislative Assembly.

The ministry reserves orbital slots, while the NBTC issues satellite operator licences. Industry executives believe that one or the other should assume both duties.

Many parties have urged the 11-member NBTC to revise the Frequency Allocation Law, especially the clause requiring the allocation of spectra by auction only. Some also want to see a reduction in the number of commissioners, changes to their qualifications, and that it should be no longer an independent body but work under the ICT Ministry.

Pornchai said he would also focus on improving the finances of TOT and CAT Telecom. However, merging them will be the last option. The ministry would speed up the spending of its remaining 2014 budget of Bt5 billion.

Pichet said his mission was to reform the country with science, technology and innovation. The minister is set to execute the policy in three phases - short term of three months, middle term of one year or less, and long term of five to 10 years.

In the short term, it will raise the tax refund for research and development to 300 per cent from the current 200 per cent; drive science, technology and innovation investment in mega-projects to be at least 3 per cent; and help small and medium-sized enterprises use science, technology and innovation.

In the medium term, it will revise regulations to make it easier for the private sector to benefit from the government's existing R&D and to improve the entire study of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

In the long term, it wants to turn the country into a society driven by science, technology and innovation.

The ministry's mission is in line with the government's policy to drive the country's R&D investment, including the government and private sectors, to 1 per cent of gross domestic product by 2016 - the end of the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2012-16) - and to be 2 per cent of GDP by 2021, the end of the 12th Economic and Social Development Plan (2017-21). It also wants to drive the ratio of R&D investment between the government and the private sector from 51:49 now to 30:70 by 2021, and make science, technology and innovation drivers of the country's mega-projects.

R&D is about 0.37 per cent of GDP. It aims to have GERD at 1 per cent of GDP by the end of 2016, when GERD would be Bt130 billion, which is from the government and private sectors at a ratio of 30:70.

To encourage the private sector to invest more in R&D, measures are required to support the private sector with incentives to invest in science, technology and innovation, including financial support through tax benefits, technology support through the public-private partnership programme and R&D consulting, and licensing.

"The mission is to transform Thailand via innovation policy through the collaboration strategy. We focus on public-private partnerships to collaborate with other ministries, educational institutions and the private sector," Pichet said.

For example, SMEs are on the national agenda, so they are also the priority of the ministry. It will transfer government R&D to help the private sector, especially SMEs, to benefit from this research more easily.

It will also work on adjusting regulations so that the private sector can easily benefit from the ministry's existing R&D measures.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/ICT-to-amend-law-as-Science-Ministry-pushes-for-a--30243347.html


-- The Nation 2014-09-16

[EnzoRippo]

It begins by schools with efficient teachers where the kids are taught real things and not fairy tales or xxxx songs.

Well, it looks like a "announcement effect"

[Don Aleman]

" More innovative "? I doubt, considering the total absence of any real education in Thailand, there is

I pound of innovation, combined, in all of Thailand, ( absenting me of course ). What there maybe is hidden as any really good ideas are considered an insult to the persons superiors and will lead to his/her dismissal.

Thailand has no, none, nada, globally recognized musicians. engineers, scientists, Doctors, lawyers.

artists, no syndicated columnists, sports, ( excepting golf ), winners, architects, and on, and on.

Thailand has no Nobel prize winners, Oscars, and most notably - no PATENTS !

" MORE" innovative indeed !

[englishoak]

Thailand has no sufficient education standard, no social expectation or tolerance for innovators... innovators rock the boat and we all know how open minded and visionary Thais are.

[Thai at Heart]

Thailand has no sufficient education standard, no social expectation or tolerance for innovators... innovators rock the boat and we all know how open minded and visionary Thais are.

I love their architectural innovation. The shophouse.

A shop, with a house. Or a house with a shop. And so pretty on the eye.

[bangkokfrog]

" More innovative "? I doubt, considering the total absence of any real education in Thailand, there is

I pound of innovation, combined, in all of Thailand, ( absenting me of course ). What there maybe is hidden as any really good ideas are considered an insult to the persons superiors and will lead to his/her dismissal.

Thailand has no, none, nada, globally recognized musicians. engineers, scientists, Doctors, lawyers.

artists, no syndicated columnists, sports, ( excepting golf ), winners, architects, and on, and on.

Thailand has no Nobel prize winners, Oscars, and most notably - no PATENTS !

" MORE" innovative indeed !

To be globally recognized as an artist or musician doesn't necessarily mean world class. It means catering to Western tastes. I think Thailand does have some very good artists and musicians in terms of its own culture. It is the same with architects... I see some very innovative designs in some of the newer buildings around Bangkok (but not the rash of "boxy" apartment buildings). In relation to doctors, there may be no Nobel Prize winners among them, but give me the doctor who you would see if you walked into one of Bangkok's leading hospitals over their Western counterparts any day. In most of the other areas you mention, the problem is not the people in the professions but the (past) level of government support for research and innovation. Let us hope that this government will change that, although at the moment all we have is words.