Govt says it will boost funds

The government plans to double the budget for special organisations to promote a knowledge-based economy after a period of neglect.

Funding may be increased to Bt1.6 billion for the next fiscal year from Bt700 million this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said yesterday.

He met with the board of the Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD), which supervises the Thailand Creative Design Centre (TCDC), National Discovery Museum Institute, Thailand Knowledge Park (TK Park), National Thailand Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences and Centre for the Promotion of National Strength in Moral Ethics and Values.

The government wants to extend their services - such as libraries, seminars and product-design exhibitions - to other parts of the country instead of concentrating them in Bangkok, Surapong said.

He said the Surayud government did not pay these agencies much attention and even wanted to dissolve the TCDC.

The incumbent government sees them performing an essential function in enhancing the country's economic competitiveness. Some people did not understand how important their role was. However, millions of people visited TK Park last year and more than 100,000 accessed TCDC's services, he said.

China last year spent about Bt60 billion on supporting its knowledge-based activities, he said.

The creative industry in the United Kingdom accounted for 7 per cent of its GDP estimated to be worth Bt400 billion. While the UK has long promoted its creative industry, Thailand started doing so only four years ago.

The government would cooperate with local administrations to open learning centres in the provinces.

These activities could complement similar learning activities supported by state universities or other educational institutions.

In the future, the government may have to issue laws and regulations to develop the creative industry.

For example, South Korea forces TV stations to air animation series crafted by local artists, he added.