R&D outlays limited by pandemic
NXPO chief pushes for government effort to bump up spending to 2% of GDP by 2027
Spending on R&D in Thailand is forecast to be limited by the pandemic, staying below 1% of the country’s GDP until next year, according to the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO).
NXPO president Kitipong Promwong said R&D spending was estimated at 0.91% of GDP last year and it is expected to reach 0.94% this year and 0.96% next year.
Some 193 billion baht was spent on R&D in Thailand in 2019, or 1.14% of GDP, up 5.9% from a year earlier, Mr Kitipong said, citing a study jointly conducted by NXPO and the National Research Council of Thailand.
Of the total amount, 77% or 149 billion baht was attributed to the private…
