Thailand Establishes 'National Knowledge Center' as First-Ever Intellectual Infrastructure to Embrace AI Era and Drive 'Wellness Economy' as New Economic Engine
Thailand officially launched the National Knowledge Center in Bangkok, a sprawling intellectual hub designed to organize and connect knowledge assets across sectors while positioning the country to compete in the AI era and develop a "welln
On May 11, 2025, the Office for Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD), a public organization, announced the establishment of the National Knowledge Center (NKC) on over 16,000 square meters of land on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road in Bangkok. The center will function as the country's 'National Intellectual Infrastructure' to support knowledge-based economics and navigate the artificial intelligence era.
The announcement was made at the 'OKMD Next to the Future: 22 Years Designing Thailand's Learning Ecosystem' event, reflecting a transformation from a 'knowledge organization' to a 'national knowledge ecosystem' that systematically connects knowledge, networks, and people to enhance the country's long-term competitive capability.
Dr. Thavarat Sootabut, Director of OKMD, stated that entering the organization's 22nd year is not merely a milestone but a pivotal moment for Thailand's role on the global stage. The NKC will not simply serve as a knowledge facility, but as the country's intellectual infrastructure that organizes, connects, and elevates Thailand's knowledge assets to create genuine value in the new economy, while enabling all Thai citizens to access meaningful learning opportunities.
"The NKC on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road is designed to be more than a physical space, but a 'national central platform' connecting knowledge units, educational institutions, businesses, and the public as one of the country's most important intellectual public spaces," Dr. Thavarat explained.
Dr. Nrongchai Akrasareni, Chairman of Khon Kaen University Council and former Minister of Commerce and Energy, delivered a special address stating that OKMD's founding originated from lessons learned during the Asian financial crisis, which prompted Thailand to shift toward a 'knowledge-based society.' In the modern world, countries cannot survive competing solely on labor or material costs; they must build 'systematic competitive capability' based on a strong knowledge ecosystem.
"I want Thais to remember: 'If you want to know something, think of NKC,' because NKC must be a center that creates knowledge value and connects all sectors, not just a data repository," Dr. Nrongchai stated.
Dr. Nrongchai also suggested that NKC requires sustainable operational models with revenue-generating capacity alongside partial state support to maintain agility in continuous knowledge and innovation development. In the context of new economic development, OKMD can serve as a crucial mechanism for promoting the 'Wellness Economy' by leveraging the country's medical and healthcare service capabilities, linking knowledge from upstream to downstream and creating industrial value-addition. Thailand possesses global-level health strengths; if knowledge systems can be interconnected effectively, it will become one of the country's important economic engines.
In the AI-era context where data access is unlimited, NKC's role is not to serve as a data repository but to create 'knowledge value' and enable society to use knowledge to drive real change.
This advancement toward NKC thus represents the laying of Thailand's foundational 'intellectual infrastructure' at the systemic level for the first time, serving as a crucial mechanism to drive the country toward a knowledge-based economy, enhance competitive capability, and build sustainability.
