Bangkok (VNA) – The Government of Thailand will spend 37 billion baht (1.2 billion USD) financing itsambitious scientific research and innovation development scheme in the nexteight years to increase the country’s competitiveness and better brace it foran ageing population and degraded environment.

The scheme, which will start next year, hasreceived a green light from the cabinet which agreed to give it money from the2020 budget, Deputy Government Spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said.

Thailand has many projects and clear indicators to assess their outcomes, shesaid, adding that they are aimed at dealing with economic and social challengeswith modern research and development.

Ratchada said one major task is to boost the country's ranking in globalcompetitiveness, scored by the International Institute for ManagementDevelopment (IMD).

Thailand was ranked 30th in the 2018 IMD report,a drop from the 27th place in 2017.

Under the 12th national economic and social development plan(2018-2022), the country must secure a ranking of 25th.

The Thai Government also plans to increase the productivity of at least 5,000small and medium enterprises with artificial technology and ensure 1,000 newlocal startups must "survive" in businesses, Ratchada said.

The number of researchers will also increase to 25 per 10,000 people by 2021,according to the scheme.

Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Suvit Maesinceesaid he will take 200 million from the 37-billion-baht package to developquantum technology.

This month, Suvit said, Thailand’s top quantum experts will meet to brainstorma plan to establish the National Institute of Quantum Technology, expected totake shape in five years.

According to Ratchada, the government will support development of innovations,based on a universal design, for people of all ages and conditions.

In the next two years, Thailand will enter an aged society in which every onein five people will be 60 years old.

In the environmental field, the government will encourage experts to inventways to reduce garbage and fight ultra-fine dust PM2.5, Ratchada added.

Thailand wants to reduce the number of days polluted by harmful levels of dust,she said.-VNA