On 14 October 2026, Mr. Pornsith Pibulnakarintr, Deputy Director-General of the Department of European Affairs, delivered introductory remarks at the opening ceremony of a workshop entitled “Powering Thailand’s Next Generation of Innovation: Best Practices from UnternehmerTUM and the Technical University of Munich (TUM).” The opening ceremony was presided over by H.E. Prof. Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), at the Pathumwan Princess Hotel in Bangkok.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Munich, the National Innovation Agency (NIA), and Chitralada Technology Institute (CDTI), with 55 participants from the University Holding Company (UHC) network, science parks, and other relevant agencies attended. The workshop built upon the exchange of visits between CDTI and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in 2025.

The Deputy Director-General emphasised the importance of advancing Science, Research and Innovation (STI) Diplomacy, an initiative pursued jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MHESI. He noted that cooperation with UnternehmerTUM, a leading organisation in innovation promotion and startup development in Bavaria, would help strengthen Thailand’s startup ecosystem, translate research into commercial opportunities, and support the growth of the innovation-driven economy. Such cooperation would also foster stronger networks among universities, industries, and investors in Thailand and Germany.

As part of this initiative, the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Munich invited Ms. Nikola Baumschlager, Senior Venture Consultant for Food, AgriTech and BioTech, and Ms. Violeta Stoichkov, Senior Manager at UnternehmerTUM, to visit Thailand from 12 to 15 October 2026 as speakers at the workshop. During their visit, both experts also held discussions with high-level representatives of the NIA, CDTI, and Mahidol University. These engagements provided an opportunity to strengthen networks and promote long-term cooperation in STI between relevant agencies in Thailand and Germany.