Thailand Represents ASEAN at 90th Meeting of ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation

Key summary

The National Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (NSTDA) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHEST) participated in the 90th Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI-90) and related sessions held from October 13–15, 2026, in Da Nang, Vietnam. Hosted by Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), the meetings focused on setting the direction for ASEAN science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation, tracking progress under the ASEAN Plan of Action on STI (APASTI) 2026–2035, and developing mechanisms to make international collaboration among member states more tangible. The 21st Meeting of the Board of Advisers to the ASEAN Committee on STI (BAC-21), held on October 14, 2026, was attended by Dr. Pranapriya Sriwanwit Lundberg and Dr. Duangkamol Phihusut as representatives of Thailand in the name of Dr. Surachai Sathikunarat, Director of NSTDA. Key discussion topics included the management of the ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Fund (ASTIF), monitoring progress on ASTIF Call 2026 project proposals, developing mechanisms for evaluating projects under Annual Milestone Deliverables (AMD), and assessing performance under APASTI 2026–2035. BAC-21 proposed adjustments to the proposal submission cycle for ASTIF to enhance investment returns and prioritize high-quality, regionally impactful projects. Discussions also covered the ASEAN Grand Challenge: AI-Enabled Competitive and Resilient Region, emphasizing clear submission deadlines and allowing National Focal Points (NFPs) to review proposals before formal consideration. The meeting advanced the framework for ASEAN STI Partnership Contributions, a mechanism for reporting financial and non-financial support aligned with APASTI 2026–2035, and supported tracking via the APASTI Monitoring and Evaluation Dashboard. Progress on establishing the Project Appraisal Group (PAG) to evaluate ASTIF proposals was also monitored. At COSTI-90, led by Prof. Dr. Supachai Padudumnakul, Deputy Minister of MHEST, Thailand reviewed progress under COSTI-89 resolutions, BAC-21 recommendations, and reports from five COSTI Sub-Committees (SCs). Key projects included high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure development, AI applications in health, and space technology cooperation. Thailand, as Country Coordinator for the ASEAN–Republic of Korea (ASEAN–ROK) partnership in 2026, tracked progress under the ASEAN–ROK STI Workplan 2025–2027 covering human resource development, joint research, and infrastructure utilization. Additionally, Thailand promoted regional semiconductor collaboration through the ASEAN Semiconductor Forum 2026 held in September, facilitating exchange on ecosystem development, workforce potential, R&D capabilities, and shared infrastructure to strengthen ASEAN's semiconductor value chain competitiveness.