Thailand launches Strategic Talent Center to lift business innovation

THAILAND launched its Strategic Talent Centre on July 3 in Bangkok, as a hub for Thai science and technology experts to assist local and international industry.

The Strategic Talent Center (STC) has been established “to enable the private sector to have easier access to the available pool of manpower in the field of science and technology and to facilitate the entry and sojourn of foreign science and technology experts in demand” according to Thailand Board of Investment Secretary General Mrs Hirunya Suchinai.

 

This movement aims to encourage manpower as one of the most important capitals for business and a significant key driver for the country’s ‘Thailand 4.0’ policy to take shape, according to Mrs Hirunya.

The STC was established under a cooperation agreement between Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) and five government agencies: Ministry of Science and Technology, National Research Council of Thailand, National Science and Technology Development Agency and National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office. 

The centre will serve as a platform for interaction with the private sector in identifying available specialists or researchers in science and technology to support the private sector in conducting R&D and innovation activities.

The centre would help identify Thai and foreign people with specialised skills across technology and innovation arena, academia and government scholars, and researchers as well as those under the Talent Mobility Project of the National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office. The STC will be actively involved in matching skills and expertise with real-world demands from the requesting companies.

Hirunya said, “Through the establishment of STC, we are enhancing the country's ecosystem for stronger research and development capability, which will in turn increase our competitiveness and support the development of target industries under Thailand 4.0 policy.

"We believe that there are many experts and specialists in Thailand but we never had a comprehensive database or information about them. The STC will take up this role and pull together extensive lists of these experts. This will not only match demand on manpower and supply of expertise, but will also promote links between the research sector and the private sector," Hirunya said.

In addition to matching services, the STC will provide an expertise recognition service for those in the science and technology fields. The centre will coordinate with relevant government agencies in recognising that expertise.

Hirunya said the recognised experts would be facilitated for their visa and work permits and would have access to the e-expert system run by Thailand’s One-Stop Center for Visas and Work Permits.

This flagship STC project will increase convenience for companies operating in Thailand to have greater access to pool of specialists and experts in the area of research and development.

"As we realise that human resources will play a vital role in moving Thailand forward, we at the BOI are looking at the comprehensive array of factors supporting investments in Thailand, not just tax incentives,” Hirunya said.

“STC is one step that we are taking to provide investors with better and more comprehensive services. The improved mobilisation of science and technology manpower will certainly contribute to the implementation of Thailand 4.0 policy.

“We are glad that our STC will play a significant role in this jigsaw puzzle and help investors optimize their opportunities here," said Hirunya.

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