The National Innovation Agency (NIA) is outlining strategies to help Thailand reach the top 30 in the Global Innovation Index by 2030, transforming the organisation into a focal facilitator.
"The NIA is changing its role from system integrator for innovation to a focal facilitator," said Soranit Siltharm, chairman of the National Innovation Board.
Speaking at the Thailand Global Innovation Forum 2022 yesterday, he said the first strategy is to make Thailand's innovation system open for more business, particularly those firms that have critical innovation capability that can bring changes to the country.
The NIA will bridge domestic and international counterparts to help them access resources and provide comprehensive support, said Mr Soranit.
The second strategy is to revolutionise the financial system by connecting sources of funding through various models. This could help enable development, create growth and make innovation accessible for business, he said.
The third tactic focuses on using data systems to drive innovation for strategic decisions with evidence-based practices. Policymakers and entrepreneurs who build and develop innovation will benefit from this scheme, said Mr Soranit.
The goal is to transform the NIA into a digital organisation with high capability that can create resilience and sustainable growth by embracing management standards and human resources development, he said.
Between 2023 and 2027, the NIA is expected to enter its fifth era, which aims to transform Thailand into an "innovation nation" by using it to drive the economy, society and environmental sustainability, said Pun-Arj Chairatana, executive director of the NIA.
The benchmark is to reach the top 30 in the Global Innovation Index 2030, up from 43rd last year. The first step is to secure the 35th ranking by 2027, he said.
"We have to build the Thai brand focusing on innovation for crafted living, exporting it to the global market," said Mr Pun-Arj.
Rene Rohrbeck, professor of strategy and director of foresight, innovation and transformation at the EDHEC Business School, said there are four factors that have driven Thailand's changes.
Thailand 4.0 was the first factor that helped technology in four areas: biology, nanotechnology, advanced materials and digital technology.
The second was an expansion to other trade services instead of relying on tourism, while the third factor is a transformation into an innovation and knowledge-driven economy, which will see more organisations have well-trained workers, he said.
Mr Rohrbeck said the fourth factor is sustainability and a green economy, that will help decrease labour demand as working processes will become more efficient.
