Thailand's rank up in GII 2018

BANGKOK, July 16 (TNA) - The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has raised Thailand's rank in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2018 to the 44th position, from the 51st place last year. Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd told journalists on July 15 Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha is pleased that Thailand's position in the GII 2018 among 126 economies surveyed worldwide has been up by seven ranks, when compared with last year's position. The spokesman stated that in separate rankings as part of the GII 2018, reported by WIPO recently, Thailand has been ranked the 6th place for exports of creative products, the 8th place for exports of high technology-products and the 11th place for the registration of petty patents. Besides, the spokesman acknowledged, Thailand has been among the first 20 economies worldwide ranked as having high potential in the development of innovations. "The prime minister wants to see Thai people eager to learn and develop more innovations through the adoption and the application of modern science and technologies or through their own creativity, taking market demands into consideration, including those of Thai farm products to help add values and raise income of Thai agriculturists on the sustainable basis", said the spokesman. The spokesman also quoted the prime minister as saying that the Thai government has paid attention to the development of more basic infrastructure systems in order to promote and support the creation of more innovations and technologies and to the protection and the promotion of patented products and their commercial use through cooperation between relevant public and private agencies, as well as educational institutes in an integrated aspect and increased state budgets on more relevant research and development (R&D) projects. (TNA)