Bangkok: Sabida took the stage at the NDCFL Symposium 2026, highlighting Thai Wisdom as a cultural asset driving the economy. The National Defence College, Class 3, presented five capabilities to propel Thailand into the future.
According to Thai News Agency, the academic symposium focused on the findings of the 3rd National Defence College Executive Program (NDCFL-B) under the theme 'THAIS: from Thai Wisdom to Thai Vision'. Lieutenant General Arkadej Prateepusanon, Director of the National Defence College, presided over the event aimed at compiling knowledge to provide policy recommendations for national development.
Ms. Sabida Thaiseth, Minister of Culture, delivered a special address emphasizing the importance of leveraging 'Thai Wisdoms' to address economic challenges and drive growth through the '5C' policy. This policy includes human resource development, cultural heritage preservation, cultural economics, cultural diplomacy, and modern cultural management systems. She highlighted the acceleration of cultural diplomacy to open international markets, promoting the ROOT TO RICH concept to transform soft power into real income, and emphasized Thailand's cultural assets in food, fashion, film, music, and tourism.
The symposium's framework, 'THAIS', under the principle 'Five Forces, One Future - Five powers for a shared future,' was divided into five dimensions. The first dimension, 'Technology and AI Sovereignty', explored technology's role in enhancing fields like medicine and education, and addressed the future impact of AI on professions.
The second dimension, Human Capital Capability, addressed a declining population crisis by suggesting technology to increase productivity and reforms in education, such as linking teacher evaluations to student achievement and implementing a 'Credit Bank' system. The healthcare system was also transformed towards 'Preventive Care' to create a 'Silver Workforce.'
The third dimension, Adaptive Economy and Resource Security, focused on the energy crisis and proposed 'Battery Storage' technology and small-scale nuclear reactors as solutions. The fourth dimension, Integrated Infrastructure and Intelligent State, stressed the need for governmental reforms to achieve sustainability goals.
The final dimension, Security, Stability and National Resilience, outlined a 15-year security framework, including a 'Strategic Command Center' for crisis resolution and a trust architecture using a single ledger system. Additional strategic proposals included building 'Cyber Resilience', adopting 'NATO Standards' for military industry reform, utilizing military land for a 'Green Energy Sandbox', and developing 'Skillful Labor' through biometric systems.
The symposium also explored drafting a new security law to replace an outdated one and conveyed strategic exchanges through arts and culture to address future challenges and opportunities.