On 10 June 2022, the National Biobank of Thailand (NBT) of NSTDA and Chulalongkorn University held an agreement signing ceremony to collaborate on R&D and database development of biological resources in Thailand. Representing the signing parties were Dr. Ladawan Krasachol, NSTDA Executive Vice President and Prof. Dr. Chakkaphan Sutthirat, Chulalongkorn Vice President for Research Affairs.

Thailand’s national agenda on Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) aims to employ science, technology, innovation and creativity to add economic value to Thailand’s asset – biological resources and cultural heritage – to create sustainable and quality growth. One of the actions is to develop digital repository of bioresources, cultural capital and local wisdom to support the planning and management of conservation, restoration and utilization program to strengthen the local economy and tourism industry.

NBT was established as a national infrastructure to support the collection, conservation and utilization of Thailand’s biological resources, including plants, microorganisms, and human genomic data. Under this collaboration, NBT and Chulalongkorn University will conduct the studies on biological resources and ecosystem to obtain data and genetic information for digital repository which will underpin the development of bioindustry and the advancement of omics technology in Thailand.