29th Awards and Grants for Science and Technology Research Presentation Ceremony
Thailand Toray Science Foundation (TTSF) held 29th award and grant for science and technology research presentation ceremony on March 10, 2023 at Bangkok Marriott The Surawong Hotel. TTSF is honored by H.E. General Surayud Chulanont to preside over the ceremony, which marks 13 years of his honor to preside over the ceremony, along with H.E. Mr. Kazuya Nashida, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand and Professor Dr. Yongyuth Yuthavong, the Chairman of TTSF and Mr. Akihiro Nikkaku, the President of Toray Industries, Inc. attended this ceremony
With the TTSF’s intention to promote and support science and technology research for Thailand’s development and progress, TTSF has arranged 3 types of awards as follows:
Science and Technology Award for individuals or institutions with outstanding contributions in science and technology. This year, individual winner is Prof. Dr. Alissara Reungsang from Khon Kaen University, while the winner of the institution category is Sensor Technology Laboratory-KMUTT, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 2 awards totaling 800,000 Baht.
Science and Technology Research Grants To support researchers who are researching or having research projects that are the foundations benefiting the science and technology field in Thailand. This year, 20 research grants have been awarded, totally 4 million Baht, dividing into 7 projects in agriculture, 8 projects in chemistry, 2 projects in physics and 3 projects in engineering.
Science Education Award is the award to Thai science teachers in junior and senior high schools who show excellent achievement, initiative and creativity in science education, which encourages and develops the scientific capability of students. This year 7 awards worth 470,000 Baht were awarded dividing for Junior high school 210,000 Baht and senior high school 260,000 Baht.
This year, TTSF contributes awards and funding of 5.42 million Baht. During its 29 years of operation, TTSF has awarded 59 Science and Technology Awards, 528 research grants and 250 science teachers awards, totally more than 151 million Baht.
Representative of the awarded recipients, Prof. Dr. Alissara Reungsang, expressed gratitude to the TTSF for its continued focus on science and technology research personnel in Thailand for more than 29 years. “Toray’s Awards and Funds” are awards and grants for research that science and technology researchers are known to have undergone excellent screening and selection. Award winners or those receiving research grants from TTSF can be convinced that the qualifications, awarded works and research granted projects must be of high quality, useful to the scientific community and worthy of pride. This award and funding not only boost researchers’ morale and inspire to produce quality scientific research, but it also creates qualified personnels in the field of science and technology, ranging from researchers who are teachers, science teachers at the school and a teachers/researchers at the research institute and university level.
Assist Prof. Dr. Suparit Tangparitkul, Georesources Engineering Field, Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Chiang Mai University, is the representative of the research grant recipients, presented a summary of work via video in the project of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), the focus is on carbon dioxide retention in geological structures. Current research focuses on understanding retention mechanisms, designing permanent and safe retention, and further research on retention optimization. The conducted research is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 13. Climate Change. CCS is one of the key mechanisms for coping and tackling climate change. The result of research will contribute greatly to the development of carbon dioxide storage technology in Thailand as the Prime Minister made it clear at COP26 in 2021 that Thailand is ready to step up its climate solutions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065.
In the Science Education Awards, Teacher Representative, Miss Patsara Wichanpong, Phanomsarakham School “Pannom Adun Wittaya” (Chachoengsao) presented through video in the Project “Devising traps for Girdled horn snail (Cerithidea cingulate) in shrimp farms”, inspired by teachers and students jointly study local ecology. Therefore, they are aware of the problem of shrimp farmers using chemicals to remove Girdled horn snail and release chemicals into natural water bodies, which will affect the ecosystem in the long run. Teachers and students wanted to be involved in solving the problem, so they planned and developed a Girdled horn snail trap by applying scientific processes, starting from work planning, information researching, designing, experimenting, thinking logically and gaining experience from collaborating with others, to develop an efficient Girdled horn snail trap, both to trap more Girdled horn snails and easy to use equipment. When the equipment is efficient enough, it will be disseminated to local farmers for the benefit of use and sustainable agricultural development. Teachers and students are honored and delighted to receive the award, which will be used to further the science education program in the school, create a science education network, both to build on existing innovations and to develop new innovations, instilling learners’ awareness of science education and applying science to solve problems.
Mr. Akihiro Nikkaku congratulated the award winners and mentioned the management concept of Toray Group in contributing to society through business operations. The aim is to contribute to the development of that country and to its existence as an organization that is always respected by society. Toray established the Toray Science Foundation in 1960 to promote basic science in each country and region. In June 1994, Thailand Toray Science Foundation was established to promote development of science and technology in Thailand and strengthen good relations between Thailand and Japan which is pride for the company.
The Toray Group has been operating in Thailand since 1963, with nine group companies expanding their businesses in several fields such as fiber, engineering plastic, film, carbon fiber as an important base in the ASEAN region, with more than 4,000 Thai colleagues. The President expressed his gratitude for the support of the Thai peoples and hoped that Toray’s business and materials would be integrated into the foundation’s activities for benefit of Thailand’s development to the next level.
Thai government has announced a “BCG policy” aimed at enhancing industry and protecting the environment, and a “National Energy Plan” that actively promotes carbon neutrality and promotes the more expansion of electric vehicle production. The Toray Group also wishes to expand its business and develop technologies in the growing segment, including the “Green Innovation Business”, which addresses environmental issues, and the “Life Innovation” that aims to live a comfortable and healthy life.
When classifying today’s projects that receive science and technology awards and research grants in accordance with that mentioned view, there are 7 research projects on Medical and Biotechnology, 8 research projects on Material Technology, 6 research projects on Environmental Technology & Engineering and 1 research projects on Basic Science which all projects are R&D operations in line with target of Thailand. He hopes that the research project will be integrated with Toray’s groundbreaking technology and lead to the development of Thailand to the next level.
Mr. Kazuya Nashida, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, mentioned the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Thailand, which celebrated its 135th anniversary last year, in which Thailand became an important base for Japanese companies’ overseas activities. The Japanese community in Thailand is also ranked at high in the world. Activities of the TTSF make a great benefit to truly solve the big problems that Thailand is facing. The relationship keyword between Japan and Thailand from now on is “co-creation”. Thailand has implemented the “BCG Economic Model” as a national strategy, and Japan has adopted a “Green Growth Strategy” policy to jointly achieve carbon neutrality. The Japanese government has also enhanced economic cooperation between Japan and Thailand and also issued a policy of cooperation to create sustainable development in line with the BCG economic model. Lastly, he has blessed the awarded recipients with success and TTSF for prosperity as well as wishing Japan-Thailand relations to improve further.
H.E. General Surayud Chulanont, the President of the Privy Council, mentioned about the importance of developing strength in science and technology which is the important foundation for the development of economics, society and quality life of the nation as well as it is also an important link in leading the country towards sustainable development in the future. He also appreciated TTSF’s continued contribution in enhancing knowledge, ability and awareness of the importance of science and technology in Thailand. Therefore, it is an important driving force in helping to develop Thailand, especially the development of human resources in science and technology. Finally, he congratulated and sent his best wishes and pride to the award and funding recipients who are integral in driving the country’s science and technology industry. Before the closing ceremony, H.E. General Surayud took a photo with the awarded winners to commemorate the event.