10 INTERVIEW
BIOTEC: Playing a central role in Thailand’s biotech development
Dr. Wonnop Visessanguan, Executive Director of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) Biotechnology in Thailand has been undergone more than three decades of development with the advantage of a well-equipped infrastructure, and many tech labs and pharma companies situated in Thailand. Bioeconomy is one of the country’s 10 targeted growth-engine industries under the “Thailand 4.0” economic model.
The National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) plays an important role in supporting and transferring technology for the development of industry, agriculture, natural resources, the environment and, consequently, the social and economic well-being of Thai people. It is one of four national research centres operating under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) which acts as a bridge between academia and industry. UPDATE inter viewed the new BIOTEC Executive Director, Dr. Wonnop Visessanguan, one of Thailand’s renowned researchers who has led BIOTEC for six months. He recently received the “Outstanding Scientist in Food Science and Technology 2020” award from the Foundation for the Promotion of Science
UPDATE 1/2021
and Technology under the Patronage of His Majesty the King. What was the need for the establishment of BIOTEC in Thailand in 1983? The term “biotechnology” was very new in Thailand at that time. It was started in 1982 with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), a project of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), which was looking for a biotech laboratory in Asia. Therefore, the Government of Thailand tendered a bid to host a UNIDO international centre for genetic engineer ing and biotechnology. Despite the unsuccessful attempt, the potential of biotechnology was recognised, and the National Center for
Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NCGB) was established under Thailand’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Energy on 20 September 1983 with the objective of supporting biotechnology research in various public organisations. “NCGB” was later renamed “BIOTEC”. To what extent has BIOTEC fulfilled the mission and commitment to support and transfer technology for the development of industry, agriculture, natural resources, the environment, and the social and economic well-being of Thai people? The roles of BIOTEC have evolved during three decades, from building infrastructure and core competency to making policies, collaborating with business sectors and under taking its own research. In the first decade (1983-1992), BIOTEC’s role was to establish the basic infrastr ucture for biotechnology in Thailand. Apart from granting projects/studies by researchers who had academic excellence, we built up a network of biotech exper ts and suppor ted the
