However, the country depended for this development upon imported production items and industrial technologies, which caused it to run up a high foreign- trade deficit. In agriculture, moreover, the increase in the use of modern technology did not in general compensate for the high cost of production, with the result that the country's farm population was drawn in to an economic vicious circle. The term self-reliance means different things to different people, depending on the history of national development, and the social, economic, and cultural constraints of a country. There are five discernible stages in the development of technology, namely operational, adaptive, replicative, innovative, and creative. The study team holds that the first three stages are achievable whilst the last two seem beyond the country's capacity, given existing constraints.
Science is the knowledge of natural phenomena.
Technology, on the other hand, applies a knowledge of science to help meet human needs and solve problems. Technology has two major components, software and hardware. The former concerns knowledge, while the latter constitutes the equipment and material used in production. Science and technology is only a part of the process of societal development. In building technology, Thais have adapted their indigenous timber technology to create a distinctive Thai building style.