The government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Korean company for a technology transfer to produce automated external defibrillators (AED) for sale in the Thai market, according to the Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP).
DIP director-general Kobchai Sungsitthisawad said the commercialisation of locally made AED machines could help cut import expenses incurred by expensive medical equipment from overseas and should also help develop Thailand's medical sector at the same time.
Mr Kobchai said the MoU was signed between the DIP and Korean company Mediana Co. The latter will transfer production technology to Thai company Star Microelectronics Thailand Plc.
The AED is an important medical device that automatically analyses the heart rhythms of patients suffering from cardiac arrest and delivers an electrical shock to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.
"[The MoU] is one of the cooperations between the Thai government and a Korean company to help develop medical equipment to help save lives," Mr Kobchai said. "The project will also help develop the Thai medical industry, which is one of the 10 target industries under the Thailand 4.0 scheme."
Thailand's government has been promoting and supporting the new generation of Thai industry in the S-curve project through 10 targeted industries: next-generation cars; smart electronics; affluent, medical and wellness tourism; agriculture and biotechnology; food; robotics for industry; logistics and aviation; biofuels and biochemicals; digital; and medical services.
After starting this cooperation, the Industry Ministry expects Thailand to produce about 100,000 AED machines within five years (2018-22) to serve demand in Thailand, mostly to make the machine more affordable to state-owned hospitals across the country.
"This will help reduce the expenses of importing the same machine from overseas by about 9 billion baht a year," Mr Kobchai said.
MK Park, vice-president of the overseas business department of Mediana Co, said the company is interested in expanding business in Thailand and will use the country as a centre to expand further in Asean countries and provide medical equipment in the Asean region with its total population of more than 600 million.
He said the company will provide technology and know-how to Star Microelectronics Thailand, which will produce the AEDs and sell them under the Korean brand.
Mr Park said Mediana also plans to invest in its own factory in Thailand, where the company will produce various types of medical equipment.