Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) achieves the success in ASEAN COST Meeting. ASEAN member countries agrees Thailand’s proposals.

Created on Monday, 08 June 2015 Published Date Written by Super User

          MOST as Thailand COST Secretariat in ASEAN COST hosted the 69th ASEAN COST Meeting and affiliated meetings which held during 21-28 May 2015 at Movenpick Resort and Spa Karon Beach, Phuket.

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          Dr Pichet Durongkaveroj, Minister of Science and Technology, presiding the opening ceremony, said that ASEAN Community 2015 was the good opportunity that ASEAN COST performed that science, technology and innovation were an important role to develop economy, social and living quality of ASEAN people and also had the roadmap to conduct the implementation of ASEAN COST for Ministerial Meeting at the end of 2015. This meeting asked for cooperation among ASEAN counties to emphasize on The ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation: APASTI 2016-2025 in order to have qualified plan, identified obviously vision, mission and working plan which would be the guideline for ASEAN COST operation in the future and also needed leaders to aware that ASEAN COST utilized science, technology and innovation to drive ASEAN development.

          On 28 May 2015, Prof. Ainun Na’im, Secretary General, Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education (MoRTHE) of Indonesia as the 69th ASEAN COST Chairman including 130 participants from COST Chairman of ASEAN countries, experts and representative of ASEAN Secretariat participated in this meeting. Associate Prof.Weerapong Pairsuwan, Permanent Secretary of MOST as COST Chairman of Thailand gave briefing and 4 arising matter to the meeting as follows;

1. Progress of the implementation of Advisory Body of ASEAN Plan of Action on Science and Technology: ABAPAST
    1.1 COST69 endorsed the followings recommendations of ABAPAST;
        1.1.1 The ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation: APASTI implementation period be changed from 2015-2025 to be aligned with the AEC Post 2015 Attendant Document.
        1.1.2 The APASTI Goals be amended as follows.
                 - ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) addressing the Grand Challenges of the new millennium.
                 - Economically integrated ASEAN involving active collaboration between the public and private sectors especially SMEs and enhanced mobility of talents.
                 - Deep awareness of STI and the beneficial impacts of STI on the bottom of pyramid.
                 - An innovation-driven economy with a deep STI enculturation and a system of seeding and sustaining STI by leveraging ICT and the resources of or talented young, women and private sectors.
                 - Active R&D collaboration, technology commercialization and entrepreneurship and network of centers of excellence.
                 - An enhanced STI management system in the new AEC so as to support ASEAN Innovation reaching global markets and that promotes innovation, integration and narrowing of development gaps across AMS.
        1.1.3 The last payment of USD 16,000 shall be made subject to the additional fine tuning of the final draft APASTI by the small group to be led by Thailand and supported by Singapore, ASEAN Secretariat, other AMSs and the consultants.
    1.2 COST69 noted that the small group to finalize the draft APASTI shall meet on 18-19 June 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. The revised draft APASTI shall be ready by mid July, 2015 and shall be circulated for comments of ABAPAST and all Sub-Committees. The development of APASTI implementation plan may start in August 2015 and the final APASTI shall be submitted for endorsement by COST70 and adoption by AMMST16 in November 2015 in Laos People’s Democratic Republic.
    1.3 COST69 noted that the small group will also be working on the Strategic Thrusts of APASTI 2016-2025 and recommended it to include database of ASEAN STI commercialization in the implementation plan of APASTI 2016-2025.
    1.4 COST69 noted the progress report of the study on the state of ASEAN Talent Mobility (ATM). ATM initiated by National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Office according to the resolution of the 3rd ASEAN Talent Mobility Workshop during 21-23 May 2015 at Movenpick Resort and Spa, Phuket. From the 39 survey reports of 5 countries, the fundamental data was that ATM shall last not more than 2 months. The important incentive was concerned with responsibility for example cooperation, expert network, research. ATM meeting submitted to do registration system and to establish ASEAN Talent Mobility Clearing House.

2. ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Fund: ASTIF
    2.1 COST 69 noted that the balance of the ASF as of 31 April 2015 is USD 11,448,370.46 and the usable amount from the cumulative interest income that could be used to fund COST and Sub-Committee activities is USD 913,152.45.
    2.2 COST69 endorsed the following recommendations of ABASF
        2.2.1 The sum of USD 100,000 shall be retained in the ASF current account and the rest be transferred to fix deposit account.
        2.2.2 Cycle of project submission and evaluation; there shall be two calls for proposals per year, deadline for submission of proposals shall be 2 months before COST Meetings. The main subjects of the proposal is open at this time and priority of subjects shall be prescribed after the APASTI 2016-2025 is adopted by the Ministers.
    2.3 COST69 noted the following recommendations of ABASF
        2.3.1 ABSF should continue work in developing the guidelines for innovation-related initiative to be supported by ASTIF. Project proposal funded under this initiative should address issues related to intellectual property (IP) protection and management, commercial development, and sharing of benefits among proponents and their institutes. And the project proposals must involve principal investigators from at least 3 ASEAN countries one of which must be from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar or Vietnam and counterpart funding from private sectors and/or Dialogue Partners.
        2.3.2 The proposal on The Crowd-funding Workshop submitted by National Science and Development Agency(NSTDA) shall be discussed at the next meeting of the Sub-Committee on Science and Technology Infrastructure and Resources Development (SCIRD)
    2.4 COST69 agreed that the management of the ASTIF to generate more revenue should be reviewed jointly by ABAPAST and ABASF and make necessary recommendations.

3. Cooperation Activities under the Sub-Committees
COST69 noted and considered the project proposal cooperation under Sub-Committees which Thailand had an important role to initiate new project as follows
    3.1 Sub-Committee on Microelectronics and Information Technology (SCMIT)
        3.1.1 COST69 appreciated the project ”Network-based ASEAN Language Translation for Public Service” which operated by NECTEC, NSTDA and the experts from ASEAN countries. The objective was to facilitate the communication among ASEAN people by firstly emphasizing in tourism sectors for value-added economy in ASEAN region.
        3.1.2 COST69 noted that the project in 3.1.1 phrase 2 would be operated translation for health and education and will seek support from ASTIF or Dialogue Partners.
    3.2 Sub-Committee on Materials Science and Technology (SCMST) COST69 welcomed Thailand proposal on Synchrotron Research Laboratory Application submitted by Synchrotron Light Research Institute for jointly research and human resource development with ASEAN countries and also noted that currently Malaysia and Vietnam have availed to use this facility.
    3.3 Sub-Committee on Sustainable Energy Research (SCSER)
        3.3.1 COST69 supported new project on ASEAN Network for Enhancement of Awareness of Consequences of Nuclear Power plant Accidents submitted by Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology and should consult with ASEAN Secretariat to be activity under SCSER and should improve the proposal to emphasize on energy research more than energy safety to serve the activity of SCSER.
        3.3.2 COST69 supported new project on ASEAN Network on Biomass Open Research: ANBOR to build network of biomass energy R&D and innovation cooperation for sustainable energy in ASEAN, submitted by Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research. COST69 asked for more detailed proposal which covered jointly operation both private sectors and technology transfer. COST submitted this project to be part of ASEAN Biofuel Flagship Program in the next step.
    3.4 Sub-Committee on Science and Technology Infrastructure and Research Development (SCIRD)
        3.4.1 COST69 endorsed The Expert Group on Metrology :EGM chaired by National Institute of Metrology (Thailand) for preparation of the roadmap and the implementation plan for Quality Infrastructure in support of the ASEAN Post-2015 which will be beneficial for competitive development and upgrade living quality and export products in ASEAN. EGM should cooperate with ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standard and Quality (ACCSQ).
        3.4.2 COST69 noted Thailand proposal on ASEAN Certification for Personnel on Science and Technology, submitted by Department of Science Service. This proposal served the APASTI ‘s objectives to promote talents mobility and will establish working-group on certification for personnel on science and technology. Member countries can submit the representatives in working-group and send to ASEAN Secretariat before 26 June 2015.
        3.4.3 COST69 noted that Thailand initiated “Grand Challenges Thailand” on 8 May 2015 at Bangkok in order to do R&D on challenged issues concerning communities which served APASTI. Thailand will jointly operate with ASEAN countries in this activity.
    3.5 Sub-Committee on Space Technology and Applications(SCOSA)
        3.5.1 COST69 endorsed the establishment of ASEAN Research and Training Center for Space Technology and Application (ARTSA) submitted by Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISDA). This center will locate in Space Krenovation Park:SKP, Chonburi province in order to be center for R&D on space technology and applications of ASEAN. GISDA will support the location, personnel and first 4 years operation budget. Technical training and the other budget will seek support from funding agencies, dialogue partners and member countries.
        3.5.2 COST69 noted the progress of the project on ”ASEAN EOS Virtual Constellation: Joint Program between VNRED Sat-1 and Thaichote Systems” which was pilot project with satellite in different types and systems and can distribute satellite remote sensing data to the member countries. Thailand invited member countries having small satellite or remote sensing data to be member in order to share data and apply efficiently.
        3.5.3 COST69 noted the concern of SCOSA that it was not included in the draft APASTI. Noting further that remote sensing and earth observation system have various applications. COST69 requested the small group who shall finalize APASTI to review this matter.

4. Proposals and other cooperation which Thailand submit
    4.1 Southeast Asia Astronomy Network-SEAAN COST69 noted the proposal on ”Southeast Asia Astronomy Network” submitted by National Astronomical Research Institute will be beneficial for astronomic knowledge development and other scientific fields concerned and could contribute in strengthening networks of excellences in ASEAN. COST69 welcomed cooperation in SEAAN and recognized as a partner of SCOSA in its future work and agreed that SCOSA study and considered astronomy as one of its priority areas.
    4.2 ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Forum COST69 appreciated Thailand’s initiative to establish ”ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Forum 2016” submitted by National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Office. The objective is to celebrate ASEAN Community to present ASEAN science and technology results in
order to aware of science, technology and innovation application for ASEAN sustainable development, promote relation among youth. The 500 participants are students, representatives from government and private sectors concerning education from ASEAN countries and dialogue partners. Thailand will present more detail in the next ASEAN COST at the end of 2015 at Laos People’s Democratic Republic.
    4.3 STI Workshop on ASEAN Water Resources Management System on 24 May 2015 at Movenpick Resort and Spa, Phuket. COST69 agreed to establish working group to develop data on water and climate management before using data for forecasting the climate and preparation for climate change and disaster prevention in ASEAN region. The advance will present in the next ASEAN COST meeting.

          The 69th ASEAN COST Meeting achieves the success. The member countries support the initiative/ new projects which Thailand submits in various fields for example “Enhancement of Awareness of Consequences of Nuclear Power Plant Accidents”, “ASEAN Network on Biomass Open Research”, “Roadmap on Quality Infrastructure”, “Research and Training Center for Space Technology and Applications”. “Southeast Asia Astronomy Network”. “ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Forum” It shows that Thailand is an important role to drive science, technology and innovation to be mechanism to develop economy, social and living quality of ASEAN people to serve ASEAN Community 2015.

          MOST is confident that this role and cooperation will drive science, technology and innovation development, human resources development and promote cooperation between government and private sectors which will lead to country and region strengthen and sustainable development.

Coordinator: Office of the Permanent Secretary
Tel: 0 2333 3700 ext.3727-3732 Fax: 0 2333 3834
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