Dr. Nuwong Chollacoop, Assistant to the President of NXPO, and Mr. Parinand Varnasavang, Policy Specialist at NXPO, represented Thailand at the 21st Session of the Working Party on Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, and Converging Technologies (BNCT), held from 13–14 May 2025 at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, France. This working party operates under the Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

During the session, delegates from participating countries exchanged updates on recent policy developments related to BNCT. Dr. Nuwong presented Thailand’s latest progress, highlighting key initiatives such as the formulation of a national synthetic biology roadmap, the annual flagship international conference of the SynBio Consortium (now in its fourth year), the development of the 2026–2030 Nanotechnology R&D Roadmap, and the release of the 2022–2027 National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Action Plan.

The meeting also reviewed activities and agencies engaged in technology assessment and foresight across member economies. Dr. Nuwong introduced the APEC Center for Technology Foresight, hosted by NXPO, emphasizing its role in conducting foresight studies, and providing training and consultancy services for both Thailand and the APEC region. He noted the center’s previous involvement in the Technology Needs Assessment (TNA), conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). Currently, the center is implementing two APEC-funded projects under the Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI): Comparative Analysis and Foresight of Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) in APEC and Identification of Emerging Signals Affecting Carbon Neutrality in APEC Using Foresight.

Key agenda items deliberated at the meeting included:

1. Frameworks for anticipatory governance of emerging technologies, leveraging foresight and forecasting tools to manage risks and mitigate potential impacts.
2. Advancements in neurotechnology, accelerated by AI, with discussions on human rights, ethical implications, and brain data privacy alongside medical applications.
3. Adherence to the OECD Council Recommendation on Quality Assurance in Molecular Genetic Testing.
4. Strategic intelligence and forward-looking technology assessment, featuring a case study on the convergence of AI, Automation, and Robotics with synthetic biology, biotechnology, and the bioeconomy, and a presentation on the rationale and process for developing the upcoming OECD Recommendation on Responsible Innovation in Synthetic Biology.
5. Future work plans for quantum technology.
6. Review of the study report “The Convergence of Technologies: Trends, Opportunities, and Policies”.
7. Issues surrounding research and technological security in a shifting international landscape.
8. A progress report on the implementation of the Agenda for Transformative Science, Technology and Innovation Policy.

Thailand has participated in CSTP activities as a non-member participant country since 2016, with NXPO actively engaging in meetings and collaborative initiatives that benefit both Thailand and the OECD community. Currently, Thailand is pursuing OECD membership, a process requiring close cooperation with various OECD committees, including CSTP, and alignment of national laws, policies, and practices with OECD standards. Participation in this BNCT meeting provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange with OECD members and invited countries and marked a significant step in strengthening Thailand’s engagement with the OECD, particularly in areas governed by CSTP’s legal instruments and policy frameworks.