Thailand’s Experience of Learning Industrial Technologies and Monodzukuri Education with Localization

This chapter analyzes Thailand’s experience with technology promotion and technical education by learning and localizing Japanese-style manufacturing, through two case studies of the Technology Promotion Association (Thailand-Japan) (TPA) and the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI). TPA is a non-profit organization established in 1973 by the initiative of Thai students and ex-trainees who studied in Japan, to promote the introduction and dissemination of new industrial technology from Japan for Thai people and enterprises. TNI is a technical education institute established in 2007 by TPA, with an emphasis on field-oriented, practical education for manufacturing and other industries. TPA and TNI successfully developed localized mechanisms for promoting industrial technologies, technical education, and training in industry circles and broader segments of the Thai society. The experience of TPA and TNI serves as concrete, useful reference for how developing countries can enhance capacity for learning external knowledge and technologies and localizing them, and how donors can facilitate such a process. The chapter considers key factors for their success including the role of Japanese industrial cooperation. It also reviews their recent efforts to cope with new challenges of industrialization in the age of digitalization, as well as the changing nature of partnership between Thailand and Japan.