DOST to collaborate with Thailand in eight S&T areas

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) announced that it would be teaming up with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Thailand to promote and develop eight areas of science and technology (S&T) in both countries “as a way of moving forward.”

In a statement last Friday, the DOST said that details of the implementation of the partnership “are currently being forged” although Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña identified eight S&T sectors that the two countries would be working on – medical science, food processing, innovative agriculture, electronics and computer, nanotechnology, space technology, innovative startup, and metrology.

“As a way of moving forward, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Thailand agreed to work together in the eight areas,” Dela Peña said.

The collaboration was firmed up when Dela Peña, along with the Philippine delegation, met with MOST Minister Atchaka Sibunruang and her heads of agencies during a ministerial meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on the latter part of August.

The partnership was first initiated in March when the Philippines, through Dela Peña, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Kingdom of Thailand.

Following the MOA signing was a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) that identified areas of collaboration between the two countries, the DOST said.

Heading the Philippine delegation for the SOM was Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation Dr. Leah J. Buendia while the MOST delegation was led by Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr. Pathom Sawanpanyalert.

“Details on the implementation of the partnership are currently being forged by working committees,” Dela Peña said, adding that he and Thai minister Sibunruang “are happy with the progress of the meeting” and “expressed (our) respective desires to realize the agreed collaboration.”

The Philippines and Thailand have continuously maintained a cordial and stable relationship, recognizing each other’s strength in terms of economic and industrial growth, Dela Peña noted.