(14 January 2026)
The Office of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), through the APEC Center for Technology Foresight (APEC CTF), in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change and Environment, convened the first Steering Committee Meeting of Thailand’s Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) Phase 5. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Surachai Sathitkunarat, President of NXPO and Executive Director of APEC CTF, with senior executives and relevant stakeholders participating onsite.

In his remarks, Dr. Surachai emphasized NXPO’s role as Thailand’s National Designated Entity (NDE) under the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism and as the national coordinator of the TNA process. He highlighted that the current TNA will serve as a key foundation for national climate strategies, project development, and access to international climate finance.

As the host of the APEC Center for Technology Foresight (APEC CTF), NXPO, together with APEC CTF, will integrate foresight methodologies into the TNA Phase 5 process. Futures-oriented tools will be applied to systematically assess Thailand’s technology needs in response to climate change.

The foresight approach will include horizon scanning using STEEP Analysis (Social, Technology, Economic, Environment, and Policy), followed by technology prioritization based on potential and impact. This process aims to identify high-impact climate technologies relevant to Thailand’s mitigation and adaptation goals and to support the formulation of actionable pathways for implementation.

The meeting also discussed stakeholder engagement, emphasizing the involvement of policymakers, key government agencies, the private sector, academia, and experts, as well as the integration of gender considerations in line with UN guidelines. Through the application of foresight, APEC CTF will help ensure that Thailand’s TNA outcomes are forward-looking, policy-relevant, and aligned with long-term national and international climate objectives.