NESDB’s R&D unit to begin operations within this year

The Institute of Public Policy and Development, a new research institute under the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), looks set to commence operations this year.

Thosaporn Sirisamphand, secretarygeneral of the NESDB, said the government is about to issue a ministerial regulation that governs the institute, while the Budget Bureau has allocated 100 million baht to support the institute in fiscal 2019.

He said the new institute will be tasked with handling R&D for future trends or challenges, enabling the government and public to prepare.

One of its major tasks is to conduct R&D that helps tackle income disparity, and it should function as a policy lab in advising the government.

“The institute will not function as a bureaucratic unit,” Mr Thosaporn said. “The institute is also allowed to offer an attractive salary to staff to persuade smart human resources to work for the institute, where 20-30 researchers are expected to be employed.”

On Sept 25, the cabinet approved the establishment of the Institute of Public Policy and Development, with the government pledging support of 1 billion baht during 2019-23.

The NESDB is still tasked with analysing and supervising state enterprise investment, though the State Enterprise Policy Office is not yet ready to conduct an analysis of state enterprises’ projects, Mr Thosaporn said.

The NESDB is responsible for mapping out the country’s five-year national social and economic development plan, which must comply with the changing social and economic environment, and upgrade the country’s overall competitiveness. It is also required to conduct a development plan for each region to increase competency.

Mr Thosaporn said the NESDB has talked with many leading schools such as Chulalongkorn University and King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, as well as private sector groups such as the Thai Chamber of Commerce, on cooperation to conduct R&D.

R&D is instrumental in driving the country’s future development and achieving the much-anticipated 20-year national strategy, he said.