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On 28 April 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siwaret Arikit, Director of the Rice Science Center, gave a welcome address and explained the objectives of the public hearing on the “Draft Thai Rice Strategy for the Future”, hosted by the Rice Science Center at Phra Indra Meeting Room, Ashwin Grand Convention Hotel, Bangkok, and online, with more than 100 representatives from government, the private sector, farmers, academics and related agencies attending.
This meeting was carried out under the “Thai Rice Strategy for the Future” project, funded by the Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization), with cooperation from Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, the Rice Department, the Office of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council, and the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. Dr. Theerayut Toojinda, Senior Advisor to the Rice Science Center, served as head of the research project.
Rice is Thailand's main economic crop, covering more than half of the country's cultivated area and involving more than 4.5 million farming households. Setting a rice strategy is therefore extremely important for driving the country's agricultural sector and economy, especially after the previous rice strategy ended in 2024 (B.E. 2567), making it necessary to quickly prepare a new strategy in line with the changing context.
On this occasion, Mr. Owat Yinglap, Deputy Director-General of the Rice Department, kindly presided over the opening of the meeting and stressed the importance of participation from all sectors in setting the direction for developing a strong and sustainable Thai rice industry.
Dr. Theerayut Toojinda, head of the research project, then presented an overview of the project, past study results and the key content of the draft Thai Rice Strategy for the Future, covering analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the previous strategy, assessment of status and readiness along the supply chain from production and processing to marketing, and analysis of structural problems in government mechanisms that affect the competitiveness of farmers and entrepreneurs.
The draft strategy focuses on raising production efficiency, adding value to rice and rice products, reducing the impact of environmental measures, and developing sustainable production systems, using science, technology and innovation as the key driving mechanisms.
After the presentation, a forum was opened to hear opinions from participants, with veterinarian Mr. Yukon Limlamthong and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Peeradech Thongampai co-moderating a wide-ranging discussion and exchange of views to reflect perspectives from all related sectors.
This public hearing is another important step in gathering policy recommendations to refine the draft Thai Rice Strategy for the Future so it is complete, comprehensive and practically implementable, leading to raising the competitiveness of the whole Thai rice industry system and gro
Source: Facebook Rice Science Center
