Thailand has been importing technologies for industrial production for more than 60 years from major countries such as the U.S.A., Japan, Great Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, etc. In the past such transfer was arbitrary and any company was free to purchase equipment and technological know-how which were considered profitable. This resulted in unnecessary loss of money and the technology purchased might not fit the desired technological growth. Recently,therefore, the government has established a Technology Transfer Division within the Ministry of Science, Technology and Energy to help promote more effective transfer and provide guidelines on how one can get better profit through suitable technological transfer. The increase in percentage of technological fees over the last decade was 28 percent.
Technology is, of course, a kind of commodity whose value varies with economic expansion.
Since it is impossible for any country to develop all fields of technology at the same time, it is natural that the suppliers are the price makers. Thailand is aware of this situation and is trying to develop its own technology with the cooperation of more advanced countries as well as international organizations. Science and Technology for Rural Development Science and technology are not only involved with advanced computer-integrated manufacturing, aerospace research, and genetic engineering. They also play an important role in rural development. Poverty in some remote villages of Thailand is caused by a lack of energy resources, improper soil conditions, lack of knowledge about suitable crops, health, and sanitation, and marketing and financial problems.