Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) allocated ฿8 billion (approximately USD 220 million) to increase the country’s supply of young researchers in S-curve industries, including artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and quantum technologies. According to the Bangkok Post, the fiscal 2025 budget also called for equipping 100,000 employees to support the semiconductor industry.
Sirirurg Songsivilai, chairman of the National Commission on Science, Research and Innovation, said Thailand urgently needed to add more researchers to support competitiveness in science and innovation. TSRI president Patamawadee Pochanukul noted that Thailand had 250,000 researchers, or 24 per 10,000 people, but needed 42 per 10,000 by 2027.
TSRI vice-president Nirawat Thammajak stated that the agency needed to estimate demand for frontier researchers in AI, EVs, and quantum computing to support S-curve industries. The country required 160,000 annual graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields by 2027, up from 110,000 at the time of the announcement.