NRCT Holds Press Conference Celebrating Thai Inventions Winning Awards at “The 5th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival” in the USA
28 August 2026
On August 27, 2026, the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), hosted a press conference to celebrate Thai inventions that received awards at “The 5th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival” (SVIIF 2026). The festival was held from August 14–16, 2026, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California, USA. Dr. Wiparat De-ong, Director of the NRCT, presided over the event, which was attended by network partners, NRCT executives, inventors, researchers, and members of the media. Held at the NRCT Central Information Center for Science, Research and Innovation (Building 8), the event aimed to showcase Thai innovations and provide a platform for sharing experiences on bringing Thai innovations to the global stage.
Dr. Wiparat De-ong, Director of the NRCT, stated, “I would like to congratulate and commend the Thai inventors and researchers on their success at SVIIF 2026. This is further evidence of Thailand’s potential to develop high-quality and practical research, inventions, and innovations that improve quality of life and benefit society. The NRCT, under MHESI, is committed to supporting and empowering Thai inventors and researchers by providing opportunities to present their work internationally. This helps build international recognition and expand opportunities to scale up these innovations for wider application, which is crucial to strengthening the country’s research and innovation capabilities and fostering pride in Thailand’s potential on the global stage.”
The event featured an exhibition and a panel discussion titled “Made in Thailand, Showcased in Silicon Valley: The Path of Thai Innovation to the Global Stage.” The session featured gold medalists and special award winners from SVIIF 2026 and was divided into two groups: “Innovation for Life” and “Innovation for Society.”
The “Innovation for Life” category included:
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Pharmacist Theerathorn Sangrai (Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine), who won the WIPO National Award for Enterprises from the World Intellectual Property Organization for “Innovative Thai Traditional Medicine Formulation from Economic Herb Kratom for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder in the Public Health Service System.”
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Mr. Jirapon Sengnongban (Smartmed Group 2019 Co., Ltd. and the Thai Biomedical Engineering Society), who won the IFIA Best Invention Award from the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations for “Development of Innovative Powder Dietary Supplement Product for Targeted Preventive Bone Care with Evidence-Based Nutritional Science at an Affordable Price (PEAK).”
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Dr. Krittadet Anan (Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep), who won the KIPA Special Prize from the Korea Invention Promotion Association (Republic of Korea) for “Innovative Antibacterial Bed Sheets and Pillowcases from Thai Herbs for the Health Care of the Elderly or Dependents in Nursing Home Care.”
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Ms. Arisara Phetcharat (Princess Chulabhorn Science High School Chonburi), who won the RIVA Special Award from the Institute of Innovation Research and Attribute Verification (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) for “Development of an Atrial Fibrillation Screening System for Stroke Risk Assessment.”
The “Innovation for Society” category included:
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Mr. Surin Sermsuksakul (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand), who won the Semi-Grand Prix from the SVIIF Organizing Committee for “A New Innovation in Mine Surveying: Combining the Power of Laser Scanning and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.”
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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sopa Visitsak (Kasetsart University), who won the ARCA Award from the Croatian Union of Innovators (Republic of Croatia) for “Natural Light Ventilating Dome (100% Direct Radiation Protection).”
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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Daranee Saksiriphol (Srinakharinwirot University), who won the Hong Kong Innovation Grand Award from The Exhibition for Hong Kong SAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China) for “MoralMind Story Series: Short Story Books Promoting Morality and the Love of Reading.”
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Ms. Veena Nithipaphanan (Chulalongkorn University), who won a Special Award from the Taiwan Invention Association (Taiwan) for “AbleCoach: A Digital Platform for Coordination and Collaboration between Employees with Disabilities and Teams in the Organization.”
The award-winning inventions from SVIIF 2026 demonstrate the potential of Thai inventors and researchers to develop knowledge, technologies, and innovations that address challenges related to quality of life and social development. International recognition serves as an important mechanism for advancing Thai research and innovation from the laboratory to real-world applications, thereby strengthening the country’s competitiveness in the global arena.
