Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul. (COURTESY PHOTO)

By LONG Yun

Dr. Narong Sirilertworakul is the President of Thailand's National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), an organization tasked with enhancing Thailand's global competitiveness in scientific research and technology, modernizing the country's industries, and enhancing Thais' quality of life.

"Thailand has maintained a positive relationship with China, both bilaterally and through multilateral frameworks such as China-ASEAN cooperation," he told Science and Technology Daily recently, believing that the two countries' relationships have grown steadily in a variety of areas, including corporate values, trade, culture, education, and innovation. Sirilertworakul received the 2021 Chinese Government Friendship Award in recognition of his significant contributions to China-Thailand cooperation, particularly in the field of sci-tech cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Cooperation generating benefits

Sirilertworakul was instrumental in establishing the "Thailand-China Technology Transfer Center Working Group" in collaboration with the China -ASEAN Technology Transfer Center (CATTC). He considered himself fortunate to have led NSTDA in numerous initiatives to enhance Thailand-China cooperation under the CATTC.

Various programs are established to promote knowledge and technology transfer, thereby accelerating scientific and commercial advancement in both countries, he said.

In 2015, the Thailand-China Technology Transfer Center, established at NSTDA, facilitated technology transfer and dialogue between Thai and Chinese businesses. The Center holds regular events to foster collaboration between Thai and Chinese businesses in diverse fields.

In the business sector, more opportunities were generated for Thai businesses to collaborate with their Chinese counterparts at Thailand-China technology matchmaking session in China Intelligent Equipment Industry Exposition during 2017 -2019 organized by CATTC. "The activities have expanded as more companies from both countries joined forces to facilitate technology transfer and equipment trading," said Sirilertworakul.

Additionally, he exemplified people-to-people exchanges by naming the China-ASEAN Technology Manager International Training and the Talent Young Scientist program. Both programs present professional training in a variety of sectors, providing excellent opportunities to gain knowledge and experience essential for common development.

In 2022, the Forum on China-ASEAN Technology Transfer and Collaborative Innovation will celebrate its tenth anniversary. The Forum's mission is to facilitate precise matchmaking in scientific information between China and ASEAN across various sectors and institutes.

Concerning the platform's future role, Sirilertworakul expressed hope that "through the CATTC network, we can develop joint activities and products to consolidate the framework and promote the long-term development of bilateral ties."

Sustainability shaping future cooperation

Sirilertworakul's extensive experience in his work has made him keen to pursue concerted efforts to address global issues. He emphasized the importance of "sustainability" in future international collaboration in scientific communities.

According to him, ASEAN members are now actively involved in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and mitigating environmental issues.

He provided a detailed overview of the various measures implemented by various ASEAN countries. Regarding his country, he said that Thailand is attaching great importance to the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model in pursuit of the circular economy, green economy, and ASEAN cooperation, noting that it also aligns with the national plans of some ASEAN members, such as Singapore and Malaysia.

He understands how critical it is to conduct international cooperation for sustainable development. In the face of potential threats, Sirilertworakul believes China could collaborate with Thailand and other ASEAN countries to combat climate change. "China is one of the leading countries addressing this issue, which is beneficial to all people on the planet," he said, as demonstrated by the concepts of the "Green Games" and "sustainability" integrated into all aspects of Beijing 2022.

Sirilertworakul suggested ways to strengthen collaboration, including technology and infrastructure support and joint capacity building programs, while emphasizing the importance of promoting BCG products and services.

Having traveled extensively across China, he quoted two lines from Chinese poetry praising the beauty of Guilin's Li River, his favorite part of China: "He who travels through the Guilin hills finds himself in a fairyland," and "He who sails along the Li River finds himself boating in a sweet dream."