December 2010

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Think Asia, Invest Thailand By the year 2020, it is projected that Asia will comprise almost half of the world’s economy. How can businesses take advantage of this emerging Asian Century? They must find the gateway to Asia. Strateg

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } NSTDA Accelerating Science, Technology, and Innovation Development in Thailand With the ultimate goal of becoming a knowledge-based society, Thailand sees opportunity in the midst of an economic crisis where science, technology, and innovation can pl

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } BIOTEC Excellence in Science, Relevance to National Agenda Established in 1983, BIOTEC is one of four centers under the umbrella of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), an autonomous government body. The Center serves as a

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } East-West Seed Better Seeds for Better Yields East-West Seed has grown from a young vegetable seed company, established in 1982 in the Philippines, into the market-leading supplier of tropical vegetable seeds in just 25 years. As a resul

color = "#000000"; Thailand’s Transformational Science China is conducting a huge experiment with biotechnology. Can the returning “sea turtles” use the massive domestic market and competitive cost base to make it a life sciences world power? Even the world power? There’s no arguing that Thailand is emerging as a world-class player in the arena of biotechnology research. Last September, the country made international headlines for host

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Science-Driven Innovation for Food Safety One Player Leads the Way in Thailand The Betagro Group's headquarters set in lush surroundings. More than forty years ago, what is today the Betagro Group, one of the leading players in T

color = "#B693B5"; Mapping the Terrain Thailand’s first National Biotechnology Policy Framework served as a roadmap for significant progress, but it had a rocky start. A look back at the Framework provides signposts to guide the way forward. By Thana Poopat and Nantiya Tangwisutijit During the past 3 decades, Thailand has increasingly prioritized biotechnology investment. From medicine to food to plastics to energy, Thailand has emerg

color = "#B693B5"; Miles to Go Stronger policies are needed if Thailand is to reach its full potential as a global center of biotechnology. By Somsak Chunharas Thailand has been working with support from various international agencies to develop its scientific and technological bases in biotechnology for more than 3 decades, but the country is still badly lacking the strong government policies that will effectively bridge the demand and the

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Mahidol University Wisdom of the Land With its goal of being the “Wisdom of the Land,” Mahidol University continuously strives for educational excellence, outstanding research, leadership in healthcare services, and global outloo

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Cell Signaling Research A Key to the Future of Medical Sciences Remarkable achievements in biosciences during the past decade have increased our understanding of the disease process and opened new ways of therapeutic intervention. Identifica

Boosting Thailand’s investment of public funds in biotech will take educating political leaders, and rice farmers, too.

color = "#B693B5"; Profile: Amaret Bhumiratana An accomplished academic scientist believes innovation in the private sector is the key to Thailand’s future. By Klomjit Chandrapanya © Tatree Saengme-Anuparb Amaret Bhumiratana believes that one of the key factors missing in Thailand’s advancement in science and technology is the lack of entrepreneurial spirit among young Thais. A product of American education, Amar

color = "#B693B5"; Profile: Kanyawim Kirtikara A young scientist leads Thailand’s premier biotechnology organization with a mix of passion and practicality. By Klomjit Chandrapanya © Tatree Saengme-Anuparb Friends and family members tell Kanyawim Kirtikara, the head of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), that she has changed since she became the leader of the country’s premier

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Khon Kaen University From Isan Wisdom to Globalization: Health Scenario Khon Kaen University (KKU), the first public university to be established in the Northeast of Thailand, has the vision of being a learning-based, research-based, and quality-based

color = "#A6C439"; The Future of Farms How Thai scientists, policymakers, business leaders, and farmers are feeding the world. By Thana Poopat Rice farm nestled between mountain peaks © Sarun Laowong Ming Saree-on has never heard about genomics or quantitative trait loci. What he is all too familiar with, though, is blast, a fungal disease that wilts his rice and income along with it. So when agricultural researchers sho

Private Sector Power R&D, and our competitive strategy for the future economic growth and sustainability. By Rutjawate Taharnklaew “…At the macro level the role of R&D can be viewed as a basis of competitive advantage, which is the basis of international trade. At the firm level, the objective is to chan

KMUTT Working with Biotechnology Industry The main campus of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) is located in an industrial area on the Thonburi side of Bangkok. The university has a history of working clo

A Better Shrimp Seeking seafood that’s fitter, healthier, and more productive. By Anchalee Kongrut Shrimp Farm, Sam Roi Yot National Park Bunjonk Nissapawanich’s shrimp farm appears no different from the tens of thousands of similar operations found in and adjacent to Thailand’s aquatic areas. But were one to take note of the constant stream of researchers who regularly visit his 18-hectare fac

color = "#A6C439"; Wan’s Wonders How one farmer with little education and no tools developed (and named) two prize-winning rice strains. By Vasana Chinvarakorn © Tatree Saengme-Anuparb Most farmers would only dream of growing a rice variety that is both scrumptious and robust. But that’s not enough for farmer–rice breeder Wan Ruengtue, who has developed new strains and had them named after him. Among the

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Kasetsart University An International Agricultural Education Hub Kasetsart University (KU) established in 1943, was the first higher educational institution with the primary goal to promote the study of agricultural sciences in Thailand. Kas

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } CAB Center of Excellence on Agricultural Biotechnology The Center of Excellence on Agricultural Biotechnology (AG/BIO-PERDO) is a consortium of 10 universities with a mission to foster a collaborative research between state universities and

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } DNA Technology for Agribusiness DNATEC was established in 2001 as the first government-funded key service center providing advanced diagnostic tools using DNA technology. The service center, located at Kasetsart University (KU) Kamphangsaen cam

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } The Guardian of the Thai Jasmine Rice Thailand’s participation in the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP) has brought genomic innovation into rice breeding. To drive Thailand further into the post-genomic era, the Rice Ge

color = "#FFB459"; Spreading Influence As the source of many mosquito-borne diseases, Thailand is becoming a source of new treatment strategies as well. By Pennapa Hongthong Loi Krathong, festival in Chian Mai, Thailand Every year, Juthatip Mongkolsapaya packs up her research from Bangkok’s Mahidol University and heads to London’s Imperial College. “In Thailand we have an excellent repository of specimens and as

color = "#FFB459"; A Shot in the Arm Government incentives and other factors are helping make Thailand attractive to vaccine developers. By Vitoon Vonghangool and Dr. Pham Hong Thai The world vaccine market is growing at the very fast pace of 15 percent annually, with the key drivers being increased demand, the accelerated introduction of new vaccines, mergers and acquisitions, the emergence of new vaccine players, and the growth of the bio

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } The Bioindustry in Thailand Opportunities for Green and Sustainable Investment The global market for green and clean industry has expanded rapidly as society in general is becoming increasingly concerned about issues such as climate change and the imp

color = "#FFB459"; Diagnostic Tools for the Masses After developing rapid tests for H5N1 and HIV, can Thai researchers compete with the multinationals? By Apiradee Treerutkuarkual “Anxiety”—that’s how Jittra Cheng describes genetic testing in advance of having a child. “If the results indicated that either my husband or I were thalassemia carriers, it might dash our plans to have a baby forever,” she says.

color = "#FFB459"; A Policy Pioneer Yongyuth Yuthavong is not your ordinary biochemist. By Klomjit Chandrapanya © Tatree Saengme-Anuparb Holding 7,000 Thai baht (about $300) in his hands, Yongyuth Yuthavong had an epiphany. It was the late 1960s and he was a fresh-faced researcher, back in Thailand with a doctorate degree from Oxford, and about to embark on his own research project studying enzymes from papaya. The research

color = "#FFB459"; Watchara Kasinrerk The head of Chiang Mai University’s Biomedical Technology Research Center has broken down the walls between the university’s scientists, producing impressive and marketable results. By Klomjit Chandrapanya © Tatree Saengme-Anuparb Watchara Kasinrerk almost cancelled his interview. He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about himself so much. It was not until he was assured

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } MTEC Materials Research, Development, and Engineering for Better Living Founded in 1986, the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC) is operating as one of the four technology centers under National Science and Technology Dev

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } NANOTEC A Hub of Nanotechnology Development and Nanobiotechnology in South East Asia The National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC) was founded in 2003 as one of the four national research centers under the umbrella of the National Science and

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } NECTEC The National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC) is a statutory government organization under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Ministry of Science and Technology. NECTEC was established on 1

color = "#83BFE9"; Biotechnology in the Era of Climate Change Climate change threatens Thailand’s farmlands and the country’s valuable biodiversity. Scientists are working to predict future changes and minimize their impact. By Nantiya Tangwisutijit Erawan Falls near Kanchanaburi, Thailand © Sander Kamp A month before world leaders gathered in Copenhagen last December to haggle over CO2 emissions, another gr

color = "#83BFE9"; The Biogas Boom Technology developed by Thai scientists to process wastewater into biogas is rapidly becoming the industry standard. By Janjira Pongrai and Urisara Kowitdamrong Narin Kajohnchalearmsak couldn’t be happier with the $1.3 million investment he made to his tapioca starch factory 9 years ago. He installed what’s called an anaerobic fixed film reactor (AFFR) to process wastewater into biogas. Within 3

color = "#83BFE9"; Dr. Anond Snidvongs On the Front Lines of Climate Change By Nantiya Tangwisutijit © Tatree Saengme-anuparb Dr. Anond Snidvongs is Thailand’s Al Gore. The hard-charging, 50-year-old director of Southeast Asia’s START program has arguably done more to advance regional climate science over the past decade than anyone else in Southeast Asia. An oceanographer by training, Dr. Anond recognized in

Prince of Songkla University A National Research University Prince of Songkla University (PSU) has been selected to be one of the nine Thailand National Research Universities in 2009. The ultimate goal of PSU is to nurture students to be goo

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #FEF8F6; background: #939598 }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Thailand Science Park Phase II To strengthen the research and development infrastructure in the country, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) has set aside 2 billion baht for the expansion of Thailand Science Park (

color = "#DF1F26";.pullquote_left1, .pullquote_right1, .pullquote_left, .pullquote_right { color: #000000; background: #ffffff; }.breakhead { color: #DF1F26; border-bottom: 1px solid #DF1F26; } Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences The Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS) foresees Thailand to be a world leader in life sciences via three strategies: Developing and adding value to health product and services wi

She is just a few years out of school, and already Nitsara Karoonuthaisiri is head of the government’s first microarray lab, and helping the next wave of even younger scientists achieve the same success.