NXPO recently participated in the 11th OECD Government Foresight Community Annual Meeting. Held at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, the meeting took place on 1 to 2 October 2024.
The Government Foresight Community (GFC), managed by the Strategic Foresight Unit of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), brings together leading public foresight practitioners to enhance foresight capacity in addressing future risks and global challenges in technology, climate and societal issues.
Representing NXPO was Dr. Surachai Sathitkunarat, Senior Strategist and Acting Vice President of NXPO. He was invited to speak at the session on “Overcoming Barriers: Integrating Foresight into Long-Term Strategy – Global and Regional Insights & Challenges.” In his presentation, Dr. Surachai highlighted Thailand’s long-standing commitment to strategic foresight, particularly through its role as the host of the APEC Center for Technology Foresight (APEC CTF) since 1989. NXPO’s mission in strategic foresight focuses on promoting the use of foresight tools in long-term strategic planning by building capacity and providing consultation services to both the public and private sectors. Dr. Surachai outlined how various foresight tools have been applied across national and APEC projects. For instance, Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) was used to explore underlying issues, while the Mont Fleur exercise was employed in the development of a 10-year strategic plan for Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Engineering. The Delphi method, along with workshops, was instrumental in the APEC STI Strategic Foresight project, gathering expert opinions to create a strategic plan for APEC economies. STEEP analysis played a key role in assessing key factors impacting the energy transition for a hydrogen economy in the APEC Energy Transition Towards Net-Zero: Foresight Scenarios and Policy Impact project. Dr. Surachai concluded his presentation by underscoring the vital role of foresight in fostering international cooperation by supporting the design of informed policies and plans.
