NPI Sparks a New Strategy to Make Thailand a Global Leader in Smart Medicine

Thailand has reached an important milestone in medical science as the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), through the National Phenome Institute, Khon Kaen University, and together with global partners including the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom, and international research networks, hosted an international academic collaboration meeting on “Harnessing Phenome Medicine and Artificial Intelligence to Advance Smart Health” at Capella Bangkok, with funding support from the British Council, United Kingdom.

The meeting was not merely a forum for academic exchange but also a strategic mechanism reflecting Thailand’s new direction in integrating phenomics, artificial intelligence and digital health policy into the health system, moving toward sustainable Precision Medicine and Smart Health.

Policy Vision: Laying the Foundation for the Health System of the Future

Prof. Dr. Sirirurg Songsivilai, M.D., Chair of the Science, Research and Innovation Promotion Fund Board, emphasized that the meeting is a “milestone for the future” that will help Thailand systematically integrate health data, clinical science and policy, building a knowledge infrastructure that not only addresses public health needs but can also be extended to long-term economic and social development.

Prof. Dr. Sompong Klaynongsruang, President of Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI), said the meeting reflects TSRI’s policy role in helping Thailand keep pace with global changes in phenomics and artificial intelligence, while creating a “strategic space” for Thailand to be part of the global health network, leading to future health innovations and policies.

A Global Bridge of Collaboration: The Role of Khon Kaen University

Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University, added that the meeting marks the beginning of a “global bridge of collaboration” connecting Thailand with international experts and research networks, which will lead to the development of a health system able to respond effectively to challenges at both the global and ASEAN levels.

Thai–UK Collaboration: The Power of Science for a Sustainable Society

Ms. Anna Pearson, Economic and Sustainable Development Adviser at the British Embassy Bangkok, representing the British Ambassador to Thailand, spoke about Thai–UK relations, noting that the meeting reflects a strong partnership in science, research and innovation spanning more than 170 years. Both countries play key roles in bringing together knowledge, technology and innovation to build resilient health systems and sustainable societies.

Phenomics and AI: From Knowledge to Real-World Application

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jia Li of the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, the project’s UK lead, said the collaboration is an important opportunity to transfer knowledge and experience in phenomics and artificial intelligence to Thailand, which will lead to academic progress and the development of a health system suited to the country’s context. She also thanked the British Council for its support in making this initiative a reality.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Jutarop Phetcharaburanin, Director of the National Phenome Institute, Khon Kaen University, and the project’s Thai lead, said the meeting is not only an academic forum but also a space for building strong collaborative networks in research, development and real-world application, driving phenome medicine and AI to tangibly improve the health of Thai people in the near future.

The Power of Networks: From Academia to Social Impact

The meeting brought together more than 170 participants from a wide range of sectors, including physicians and healthcare professionals, academics and researchers, students, and representatives of government agencies, the private sector and the medical and health industries from across the country. It marks another success for the National Phenome Institute, Khon Kaen University, and its domestic and international partners in advancing science, research and innovation for real-world use in medicine and health sciences, and in delivering lasting value to society at the national level and across Southeast Asia.

The British Council’s funding to the National Phenome Institute to organize researcher networking and phenome knowledge transfer activities is an important step toward strengthening Thailand’s research capacity across academic, policy and international collaboration dimensions, namely: (1) Building a global research network, enabling Thai researchers to connect and exchange knowledge with phenome centres around the world. There are currently eight such centres, and Thailand is set to become the ninth, reflecting the country’s readiness and potential on the international research stage. (2) Becoming a knowledge hub, positioning Thailand as a center for exchanging phenomics knowledge and data, which will benefit research development, standard-setting and data integration with leading countries in the field. (3) Attracting Nobel laureate–level and leading international experts to work with Thai researchers, raising research quality, generating valuable new knowledge with broad economic and social impact, and helping develop medical and health technologies to meet future challenges.