On 24 April 2026, the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, led by Dr. Wiparat De-Ong, Executive Director of the National Research Council of Thailand, in collaboration with the Science and Technology in Society forum (STS forum), Japan, organized the “STS forum Japan–Thailand Symposium 2026,” a key international symposium aimed at exchanging visions and strengthening academic and innovation cooperation between the two countries. The event was held at the World Ballroom, Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, Bangkok.
Dr. Wiparat De-Ong, Executive Director of the National Research Council of Thailand, delivered the welcoming remarks and highlighted key issues, emphasizing the roles of Thailand and Japan in jointly advancing science and technology to address global challenges.
The event featured key panel discussions, including the session titled “The Next Era of Science & Technology,” which brought together distinguished international experts. Speakers included Professor Mikako Hayashi, Executive Vice President, The University of Osaka; Professor Yoichiro Matsumoto, Former Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Professor Jun-ichi Takada, Executive Vice President for Global Affairs, Institute of Science Tokyo. The session was moderated by Emeritus Professor Dr. Soottiporn Chittmittrapap, Chairperson of the Budget Review Committee for Science, Research, and Innovation for Fiscal Year 2026, and Former Secretary-General of the National Research Council of Thailand, Thailand
The next session was a panel discussion titled “Path to Sustainability,” aimed at jointly developing approaches to using technology for environmental and social sustainability. The discussion featured Professor Yuya Kajikawa, Vice Director of the Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo, and Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, Director of the Thailand Environment Institute. The session was moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Prama Sastraruji, Director of Office of Information Technology Administration for Educational Development (UniNet), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation of Thailand.
In addition, a special keynote was delivered on “Shaping the Energy World in 2026” by leading experts from the private sector, including Mr. Smith Panombong, Chief Strategy Officer of Gulf Development Public Company Limited, and Mr. Yusuke Toyoda, Representative Director and President & CEO of DIGITAL GRID Corporation.
The organization of this event marks an important step toward strengthening collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and the business sector of Thailand and Japan. It aims to promote the application of science and technology to enhance the quality of life and economic development of both countries in a sustainable manner. The event will be held from 23–25 April 2026.
For more information, please visit https://stsforumthailand.nrct.go.th or contact [email protected], Tel. +66 2 579 1370 ext. 204–6.
