Vital govt support is lacking, he says
PUBLISHED : 2 Oct 2024 at 04:00
A prominent scholar says the government should provide more financial support for academic research to foster the development of innovations and technologies.
Thailand still cannot create state-of-the-art technological innovations of its own due to insufficient quality research, said Prof Phadungsak Rattanadecho at a seminar co-organised by Thammasat University and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, held at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre recently.
During the seminar, the country’s leading research scholars presented their academic work and discussed issues related to research and its limitations.
Prof Phadungsak, a senior research scholar at the Thailand Research Fund and director of the Centre of Excellence in Electromagnetic Energy Utilisation in Engineering at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Engineering, shared his insights.
He has conducted a medical engineering study on the application of electromagnetic waves for the localised treatment of cancer, offering patients an alternative to avoid unpleasant side effects from chemotherapy.
“Technological innovations are built on research that has been tested and refined over many years,” he said.
However, he said that basic academic research, which serves as the foundation for innovations and technological breakthroughs, does not receive the support it deserves.
He said nearly 80% of grants under the National Science Research and Innovation Fund are allocated to support innovation development, with fundamental research receiving little attention.
“This is despite the fact that all innovations originate from fundamental research,” he said.
Prof Phadungsak added that in foreign countries, state funding provided to universities and academics is primarily used for research projects, while the private sector typically supports innovation development.
In contrast, university scholars in Thailand not only conduct academic research and develop theories but are also expected to generate innovative ideas and transform them into commercial products.
“In principle, academics should focus solely on fundamental research, while all parties involved should collaborate to drive innovation development,” he said.
He also pointed out that the “single-year” research grants awarded to researchers in Thailand are insufficient.
“We cannot expect excellent results from a research project that lasts only one year,” he remarked.
“The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the Industry Ministry, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives must establish mechanisms that better support researchers,” he urged.
Prof Dr Kesara Na-Bangchang, director of graduate studies at Thammasat University’s Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, added the slow patent registration process, hindered by red tape at the Food and Drug Administration, has stalled the progress of medical innovations.