Science Ministry pursues Nobel-winning dreams
Chutima Inkam,
Visarut Sankham
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE Science and Technology Ministry has decided to take up the ambitious goal of producing young talent who may one day win a Nobel Prize.

"We will organise many activities in the pursuit of this goal," Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj said this week. "For instance, we are already providing scholarships and opportunities for Thai students to learn from world-class scientists."

He added that his ministry had sent some top-graders to the Asian Science Camp and also sent some whiz kids to witness the Nobel Prize presentation ceremony in Sweden.

"We hope to produce world-class Thai scientists one day," he said.

He was speaking at an event held to promote the Nobel Prize and inspire Thai youth. Held at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani, the event included several well-known Thai scientists as speakers.

Dr Thaweesak Ko-anantakool, president of the National Science and Technology Development Agency, said young people should be encouraged to develop skills in science, become more curious and begin implementing projects that are useful for other people.

"Efforts such as this would be hugely beneficial, not just for the country, but also for the rest of the world," he said. "One day in the future, a Thai will win a Nobel."

Takaaki Kajita and Arthur B McDonald both won a Nobel in Physics for solving a long-standing puzzle about neutrinos by creating a detector that shows these tiny, tiny particles shift shape and hence have mass.

Dr Saran Poshyachinda, deputy director of the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), explained that Kajita's and McDonald's findings rescinded the original theory about neutrinos, which claimed that the particle had no mass and was able to go through all substances without any reaction.

Dr Chairat Uthaipibull, principal researcher at the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology National Centre, spoke about William C Campbell and Satoshi Omura, who shared the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Tu Youyou. Campbell and Omura won for coming up with a novel therapy against roundworm, while Tu won for her discoveries in the fight against malaria. The three scientists shared the Nobel grant worth more than Bt30 million.

Dr Danaya Pakotiprapha, a lecturer in Mahidol University's biochemistry department, spoke about Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar, who shared the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for their studies on DNA repair. Their work could provide fundamental information on how living cells work and could be used to develop cancer treatment further.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Science-Ministry-pursues-Nobel-winning-dreams-30271134.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-19

I think they are being slightly overzealous again.

Teaching the whole population to read and write would be money better spent.

As I recall Thailand cured Ebola, HIV and cancer. Surely one of these achievements of Thainess would suffice?

if they create a Nobel prize about cooking or singing, thai have all their chance to become the next winner...

but in science, no way

I wonder if the esteemed Thai scientists are confused with the Ig-Nobel Prize? One can't win a Nobel if one's research papers consist of plagiarised writings.

Dream on.

Don't underestimate the Thais.

They can win the Nobel Peace prize by just eradicating corruption in Thai society. Only, it would not be under Science...

Learn how to walk before you wanna run...

As usual, they have got it the wrong way around. Most scientists win a Nobel prize as a by-product of their research. They don't set out to win the prize, but to break new scientific ground for the benefit of the world. This Thai direction is all about "face", and as long as that is the prime motivator the country is unlikely ever to come up with the creativity and dedication to win a Nobel Prize.

Dream on.

So what will the Thais copy (badly) and claim as their own?

Only one of these Nobel prize winners could get a job at a Thai university. All the others would be rejected because they are over 60 years old. Another factor in what makes Thai universities a joke--they force people out during what is the height of their career in the West. This is why you will never, ever get any results when you google "Nobel Prize Winner Thailand."

Remember, the former Minister of Science and Technology is the guy that wanted to push water in the Chao Phyra River out to sea using 1,000 propellers.

I think he means the noble piss prize but everyone is already taking the piss out of these announcements or just pissing themselves laughing.

Edited October 19, 201510 yr by Reigntax

So what will the Thais copy (badly) and claim as their own?

The Nob or Piss prize. There are many eligible contestants.

Must be on a controlled substance. By the time they get anyone to that level time travel will be the norm. Start getting the people to Read, Write and Speak English that would be a better investment

So what will the Thais copy (badly) and claim as their own?

Wouldnt matter as for them to copy it would be known before they copied it. Idea would cross their mind sure but wouldnt be of any value

Another less than laudable example of Thainess and the nee

Another less than laudable example of Thainess and the need for face. Let's get some from a select few in a position to win a Nobel Prize instead of setting up a good, uniform standard of education across the board that benefits all.

Surely a well educated population would be of more benefit to the country ?

Yes it would, but wait a minute a well educated population could pose problems for the ruling elite so let's bin that idea.

 

As I recall Thailand cured Ebola, HIV and cancer. Surely one of these achievements of Thainess would suffice?

 

They also had the Tour de France here but nobody came . . .

Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj-

...and for some time I thought it couldn't possibly get worse after the propeller guy held the job.

A noble goal!

All young people (no matter where they live in the world) should be encouraged by their leaders to achieve greatness.

But, that encouragement should be across all disciplines (not just limited to science).

Instead of focusing on the achievements of the 2015 Science winners, Thailand may be better served if it encouraged its young achievers to emulate the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet!

Maybe then, a young Thai can win the Nobel Peace Prize "for making a decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Thailand in the wake of the Military Takeover in 2014".

Quote paraphrased from http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2015/press.html

Edited October 19, 201510 yr by waldroj

if they create a Nobel prize about cooking or singing, thai have all their chance to become the next winner...

but in science, no way

I didn't see much good singing in Thailand.....

But if Obama can get the peace Nobel price, Thailand can win some Nobel price as well......Just send someone over to ask "how much...." and while on the way, they can also get the soccer WM to Thailand. Getting the Tour de France to Thailand might be a bit more difficult.

Teaching the whole population to read and write would be money better spent.

More ill-informed Thailand-knocking. They've already done that. Thailand's literacy rate is 96.7%, which is pretty impressive given the difficulties of the written language.

Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/th.html

Another less than laudable example of Thainess and the need for face. Let's get some from a select few in a position to win a Nobel Prize instead of setting up a good, uniform standard of education across the board that benefits all.

Surely a well educated population would be of more benefit to the country ?

Yes it would, but wait a minute a well educated population could pose problems for the ruling elite so let's bin that idea.

"We hope to produce world-class Thai scientists one day," he said.

At least the ruling elite sends their kids overseas for education. They have a chance....

Overseas educated Thais have done the most in the field of science - cloud seeding comes to mind.....

Send top promising students on full four-year scholarships to the USA, Japan, UK/Europe, South Korea and Japan.

Better spent than money for PROMOTING dreams.

I'm overwhelmed by the solid strategy. The nation, the nation the nation. It takes critical thinking. Sweet dreams

Excellent

Just make a Thai Nobel price called "Somchai Midnight Special". It's gotta be better than what those evil farangs got.

greetings from Mickey Mouse