In a bid to strengthen Thailand's economic development, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) plans to increase its spending on research and development (R&D) to one per cent of the Kingdom's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2011.

Government spending on research and development via the agency accounted for 0.28 per cent or Bt16.57 billion of GDP in 2004.

Other developing and newly developed nations have spent up to 10 times more than Thailand on R&D.

The increased budget will support the agency in promoting more patent registration.

"Higher spending on R&D and the number of patent registrations will bring an increase in innovation," said NSTDA president Sakarindr Bhumiratana.

The NSTDA yesterday announced a Fast Forward programme to accelerate innovation.

The draft of the Science and Technology Act, which is being ratified by the government, is another major engine to boost innovation, added Sakarindr.

If the act is implemented, the government will allocate at least 3 per cent of its total budget to R&D.

The Intellectual Property Department reported that patent registration reached 21,561 items last year. Of the total, 5,751 were Thai-owned patents, with the remainder owned by foreigners. For every 100,000 people, there are only three patents.

Sakarindr said the figure was very low compared to other countries that register 200 to 300 times more patents than Thailand.

The three-year Fast Forward programme will help improve collaboration in science and technology sectors among Thai and foreign governments and private firms.

Six projects have been initiated to support the plan.

These are new testing technology for avian flu, solar energy, new material to build pollution-free fuel cells, a special substance using nanotechnology, new chemical use in the processing of liquid latex and a new technology for counting white blood cells.

Once more innovation has been promoted, the country should generate commercial benefits at a greater rate.

Sakanrindr said Thailand spent about Bt200 billion each year to import technology. That figure should decrease under the programme.

He gave an example of the Public Health Ministry's com-

pulsory licensing of certain medicines.

If R&D had been improved, Thailand could have owned the patents of such drugs and avoided problems with foreign drug companies, he said.

The NSTDA is cooperating on the programme with universities, knowledge institutions and other organisations.

Development of science and technology would decrease problems in accessing knowledge, Sakanrindr added.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation