From: sl2k+@andrew.cmu.edu (Schitt Laowattana)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Made in Thailand: A true story of R&D in our country
Date: 4 Oct 92 08:11:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.cenlSMa00YV9I1BGA1
Organization: Doctoral student, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA


    A medium-sized ornamental flower and plants-producing firm was quite
active in rearch and development.  It was a Thai company wholly owned by
local ebtrepreneurs.  It main products were ornamental flowers and
plants for export to overseas markets, mainly to Europe and the US. 
Obviously, competition and product qaulity in the international market
forces this medium-sized Thai firm to be actively engaged in resarch and
development of new products.

    The company was established in 1974 by a group of local
ebtrepreneurs who had been in agro-business for years.  In order to
build up its rearch and development capability, the company recruited a
university professor by offering him a very attractive salary and fringe
benefit and appointed him R&D director of the company.  The university
professor had a Ph.D. degree from University of Hawaii and extensive
research experience in horticulture, particularly in orchid production. 
The R&D director was responsible for establishment of a laboratory for
R&D and for hiring R&D personel for the company.  According to the R&D
director, the company provide full financial support for R&D as one
important activity of the company.

    Main R&D activitites of the company were in the area of plant
breeding, plant tissue culture and plant production. To generate
improved or new varieties of ornamental plants and flowers,
cross-breeding techniques were enployed at the experiment station of the
company.  For example, foriegn ornamental plants and flowers were bred
with local varieties by simple cross-pollination techniques.  Plantlets
were typically grown in tissue culture in the laboratory of the company,
using appropriate adated media.

    The company provided an opportunity for the R&D director to travel
aboard to participate in various conferences and exhibitions concerning
with production of ornamental plants and flowers.  Moreover, the company
alsi sent R&D persi=onel to receive further training overseas.

    A linkage between the company and universities was established. 
With a prior approval of the company, the R&D director and his R&D
personnel were allowed to give lectures to students.  Conversely,
university students who were conducting research for partial fulfillment
of their studies were allowed to use R&D facilities of the company to
carry their research activities.  The student-tranees were given monthly
allowance by the company, with and understanding that results of their
studies would be made available to the company.

Posted by


Schitt(DJ)  Laowattana

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Current Address in USA:

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
USA
Tel. No. 268-8880
Fax. No. 268-3348
e-mail: sl2k@andrew.cmu.edu


Permanent Address in Thailand:

Center of Operation for FIeld roBOtics Development(FIBO)
King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Thonburi
91 Suksawasd 48  Ratburana  Bangmod
Bangkok 10140, Thailand

Tel. No. 428-3374, 427-4421 and 4270151-9 Ext. 461
Fax. No. 427-8077, 427-8787

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