A Thai delegation from MHESI-NXPO and leading universities visited Taiwan on 22-25 October 2024 to strengthen collaboration in workforce and technology development with Taiwan’s printed circuit board (PCB) industry, a global leader in electronic circuit board production. The delegation included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Poolsak Koseeyaporn, Senior Strategist and Acting Vice President of NXPO; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suvit Saetia, President of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT); and representatives from Chiang Mai University, Khon Kaen University, Prince of Songkla University, and Suranaree University of Technology.
The delegation attended the TPCA Show 2024 – Asia’s largest PCB technology and innovation event – where the Thai Pavilion showcased Thailand’s potential as a leading electronics manufacturing hub in the region. During the event, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) and four Thai organizations, namely NXPO, KMUTTT, Prince of Songkla University, and Suranaree University of Technology. This partnership focuses on developing Thailand’s PCB workforce and upgrading its PCB industry capabilities through specialized training programs in PCB manufacturing for Thai students and professionals, internship at leading Taiwanese PCB companies for Thai students, employment opportunities in the PCB sector for Thai graduates, and co-created education programs linking industry and academia.
At the Thai Pavilion, Ms. Panisa Harnpathananun, Director of Higher Education Innovation and Future Skills Development Division at NXPO, introduced NXPO and its STEMPlus platform, a vital tool for aligning industry workforce needs with university programs to produce skilled graduates. Representatives from top Thai universities also highlighted their academic programs, R&D activities, and advanced facilities designed to train high-quality personnel for the electronics industry.
In addition to the TPCA Show 2024, the Thai delegation visited leading Taiwanese PCB manufacturing facilities to study advanced production technologies and industry trends. They also toured the Semiconductor Engineering Department at Lunghwa University of Science and Technology, renowned for its semiconductor and electronics programs, to explore curriculum and workforce strategies tailored to industry needs.
This collaboration seeks to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand’s PCB industry through workforce development, technology transfer, and educational programs. It is expected to attract foreign investment, generate quality jobs for Thai workers, and support sustainable economic growth, in line with the government’s policy to foster key industries and build human resources to meet technological advancements.
