To implement the New Southbound Policy, National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) establishes a Bangkok Office at Thailand Science Park of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) today. This is the very first overseas office of NARLabs’. It will serve as a platform, linking advanced techniques of Thailand and Taiwan. The office not only can bridge academia and startups together for the two sides but also perform as a junction to expand partnerships with other neighboring ASEAN countries. 

NARLabs also signed a MoU with NSTDA today. NSTDA is a renowned government agency to cultivate innovative R&D talents. Being one of the members of the Ministry of Science and Technology in Thailand, NSTDA consists of four national R&D centers:  National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC), National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC) and National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC). Through this MoU, both parties have committed to exchanging researchers, promoting joint research, holding joint workshops and collaborating on commercialization of related technologies.

The MoU was signed by President Yeong-Her Wang and President Narong Sirilertworakul under the witness of the President of Academia Sinica, Prof. James C. Liao, the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Thailand, Prof. Chen-Yuan Tung and representatives from Hsinchu Science Park, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Institute for Information Industry, Taiwan External Trade Development Council, Taiwan Association of Disaster Prevention Industry, Taiwan Business Association, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Asian Institute of Technology. All the representatives hoped that related R&D agencies could make good use of this platform to better understand local needs.

The Presidents’ Forum entitled “Chances and Challenges of R&D Management in the 21st Century” was held yesterday. President Wang was invited as a keynote speaker to exchange ideas with President Sirilertworakul from NSTDA, President Liao from Academia Sinica, Managing Director Raj Thampuran from A*STAR and President Eden Y Woon from Asian Institute of Technology. During this visit, NARLabs also participated in an exhibition at the 15th NSTDA Annual Conference (NAC 2019) to display the R&D outcomes and applications of NARLabs, and successfully attracted numerous guests, including Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand.

    Tomorrow, the 1st NARLabs – NSTDA Joint Workshop will take place at NSTDA to discuss and exchange ideas in the areas of high performance computing, smart manufacturing, nanotechnology and remote sensing. Experts from NARLabs also will give speeches and interact with Taiwanese business people based in Thailand at TECO on 28th March. The intention is to make connections with technology and disaster prevention industries and to promote NARLab’s motto, “Global Excellence, Local Impact.”