It was announced just this past week that Thailand and Japan signed an MOU, agreeing to work together and initiate a joint energy and environment research centre dedicated to energy and environmental causes.
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, along with the Ministers of Transport, Commerce, Industry, ICT, Science and Technology, and Tourism and Sports, were in Japan on an official visit. During this time, they discuss economic matters with their counterparts, leading to several agreements.
Thailand’s Minister of Science and Technology, Pichet Durongkaveroj had sat down with Japan’s Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Aiko Shimajiri to work on how they could partner against the threat of climate change. Both countries will establish the Thai National Space Program by cooperating with the Overseas Space Working Group.
Each side also agreed to collaborate, in order to establish the Climate Change Technology Transfer Centre. Furthermore, they plan to create a research centre for science, technology, and innovation policy with the guidance of Japan’s National Graduate Institude for Policy Studies.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between Thailand;s Minister of Science and Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Hiroshi Hase, to help create a joint energy and environment research centre. This would operate through the Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP) and launch early 2016.
Within this MOU, each side agreed to setting up a training centre for engineers and technicians. This is so that Japanese companies would be equipped with the tools to operate in Thailand and the Mekong region.
During this trip to Japan, Thailand’s Minister of Science participated in the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) meeting. This meeting brought together a network of government agencies and 26 private companies to generate investment in management technology through open innovation.