Thai Science Park Plans Commercial Operations by End of Year.

Nov. 6--Twelve years after being initiated, the country's first national science park will begin commercial research and development operations at the end of this year despite officials' disappointment with their small budget.

Located on a 200-rai site near the Asian Institute of Technology and the Rangsit campus of Thammasat University, the park will supply commercial ventures with a full range of research and supporting facilities. Construction is nearly complete on the 1.2-billion-baht first phase, consisting of seven out of 20 planned buildings.

By year-end, the park will be home to all operations of the three main R&D agencies under the umbrella of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA): the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec), the National Metals and Materials Technology Centre and the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec).

About 600 researchers, scientists and engineers and 400 general staff of the NSTDA will move to their new head offices at the park.

Of the total seven billion baht investment needed to complete the entire project, four billion will go into the 20 buildings and infrastructure, and three billion for laboratories and equipment.

So far, the project had received approval for only 1.2 billion baht for the first phase, said Yoot Rojvirasingh, director of the Thailand Science Park.

"We are preparing to seek approval from the cabinet to borrow foreign loans so the project can go ahead. If we merely wait for the government's budget, the project would take more than 10 years to complete," he said.