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Published on October 23, 2007

 The Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD) has responded to criticism over its "extravagant spending" by merging seven of its units into five and slashing its annual budget from Bt2 billion to Bt700 million.

OKMD chairman Apinan Poshyananda said the agency was launched in the Thaksin era as a public organisation to promote Thailand's competitiveness.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont assigned Apinan to run OKMD with "economical, efficient, transparent, and fair" policies. The agency was deemed to have spent too much money, while providing limited services and failing to engage communities.

These problems were in line with an assessment by the Auditor-General's Office, which found four problems: improper establishment as set out by the Royal decree, overspending, poor management and inappropriate salaries for some directors.

The seven units under the OKMD banner are the National Institute for Brain-Based Learning (NBL), the National Centre for the Gifted and Talented (NGT), Thailand Knowledge Park (TK Park), the National Discovery Museum Institute, the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC), the Thailand Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences, and the Centre for the Promotion of National Strength on Moral Ethics and Values.

However, some of these units will now be merged: the NBL will merge with the NGT, thus becoming the Centre for the Promotion of the Gifted & Learning Innovations; while the TCDC will merge with the National Discovery Museum Institute, thus becoming the Thailand Discovery & Creative Centre.

Apinan said the board will cut TCDC's operational budget by half to Bt75 million and slash salaries by 30 per cent.

He said TCDC has been renting office space at Emporium Tower for Bt5 million per month and paying one of its directors Bt370,000 a month. The office rental contract will be terminated in May and the agency will sign a six-year lease for 2,000sqm of space at Chulalongkorn University's Jaturas Jamjuri Building near Siam Square, he said.

The OKMD board also assigned Professor Chaianan Samudavanija as chairman and Professor Surapol Wirunrak as acting director of the Thailand Discovery & Creative Centre until a new director can be found within 45 days.

"All the board members have worked carefully and there was no bullying or political agendas. All staff will get paid and continue to work without being laid-off, contrary to the rumours," he said.

The mergers would create a new energy, he said.

On October 25, the OKMD board will meet again to set details and officially announce the establishment of the Thailand Discovery & Creative Centre.

Chaianan said the mergers were a good thing and co-operation between the units would now be better. 

The contract of one of the former overpaid TCDC directors would expire in 2010, so he will be asked to step down early; however, the board would not name the director.

National Artist Professor Sumet Chumsai na Ayuthaya, a member of the sub-committee to find a new location for TCDC, said the new location near Siam Square was just as good as the old spot because it could be easily accessed by young people.

The overall budget has been reduced from Bt2 billion a year to Bt700 million. For the fiscal year 2008, TCDC will get Bt145 million, the National Discovery Museum Institute will get Bt34 million, and the OKMD will get Bt25 million.

The Nation