Yotchanan demonstrated his expertise on the global STS Forum stage, challenging researchers to develop Thailand's natural capital to a value comparable to minerals and oil, while advancing three major projects to drive Thailand's economy toward becoming a high-income country.
On 4 Oct 2026, Yotchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 23rd Science and Technology in Society Forum (STS Forum) held at the Kyoto International Conference Center, Japan. The event ran from 4-6 October 2026 under the theme "Navigating Tectonic Shifts in Science, Technology, and Society," drawing leading researchers, Nobel laureates, and ministers of research and innovation from over 30 countries worldwide.
A key highlight of his speech was Yotchanan's call for global researchers to focus on "Natural Capital Financing." He noted that while oil and mineral-exporting countries can assign book value to these resources to secure economic stability, Thailand—with its rich biodiversity and abundant natural resources—should likewise establish accounting systems for these assets to ensure national security. Thailand has already launched a pilot project in Nan province.
Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) is a systematic framework for measuring and reporting changes in natural resources and ecosystem services, both physically and financially. It provides essential data to support policy decisions and investments, based on the United Nations' System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) standards. In Thailand, the initiative is a collaboration between the World Bank, the National Economic and Social Development Council, and the Kasikorn Foundation, using Nan province as the pilot area.
At the Ministerial Roundtable with representatives from over 30 countries, Yotchanan presented a strategic plan to elevate Thailand to a "high-income country" by leveraging science and technology as the driving force through three main projects:
Siam Silica - The National Semiconductor Strategy aims to advance Thailand beyond a mere assembly and testing base to higher-value stages within the global supply chain, while accelerating workforce development to support the industry.
Siam Medica - This strategy promotes Thailand as a global holistic health (Wellness Hub) center, with science as its foundational pillar.
Siam Terra - This strategy transforms agriculture by applying technology to increase productivity and income, shifting from selling raw products to processing food and medicine. It aims for farmers to truly own the value chain and plans to launch a pilot in 2027.
The STS Forum is a major annual international platform for discussion on science and technology, held in Kyoto. This year’s forum gathered a distinguished assembly of intellects, including 12 Nobel laureates, ministers, business leaders, research executives, and university presidents, collaborating to chart the future of science and technology impacting humanity over the next 100 to 500 years.
