Thailand's new ministry inaugurated

BANGKOK, May 3 (TNA) - The Thai government has established a new ministry specially tasked with higher education affairs, as well as research and innovations. The newly-established Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation has been inaugurated as of May 2, 2019. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Jantong told journalists on Friday that the Cabinet, at its meeting next week, will appoint a caretaker minister of the newly-established ministry. The deputy prime minister stated that almost all laws concerning the establishment of the new ministry have already been promulgated. According to the Thai deputy premier, the new Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation is mainly responsible for supervising the country's higher education affairs of all over 150 government and private universities in the form of a board of executives tasked with working out practical higher educational policies. Besides, the main responsibilities of the new ministry also include taking care of the development of research projects and innovations to be in line with the Thailand 4.0 Policy and beneficial to the Thai society and local communities. The Thai deputy prime minister acknowledged the newly-established ministry is also in charge of the production and the development of personnel that meet the demands for the national workforces and for the conservation of the national culture and arts. "Next week's Thai Cabinet meeting will also appoint the permanent secretary for the new ministry and other executives who play key roles on driving ahead the new ministry in its initial stage", the Thai deputy prime minister said. (TNA)