|
I was appointed by the Thai Government to be the first Director of National
Institute of Metrology (Thailand) on June 1, 1998. During the period of
over two years in this position, I have been facing up with a wide range
of issues. In short, there are three big challenges that would stay with
us for along, they are:
Challenge with time: Time is not on our side. We have to compete with time
to develop NMI to attain an international recognized level, within the
shortest possible time and at the least possible cost.
Challenge with crisis: This is probably special to the case of Thailand.
NIMT was established in the middle of the worst economic recession of the
country. We have to be able to justify to the policy maker the necessity
of our existence. Similar situation, though different in degree, may also
exist in other economies.
Challenge with ignorance: Metrology seems to be like air around us. No
one cares about it until it's not there. We have to explain time and again
to different officers the differences of (measurement) standards and (product)
standards, between (legal) metrology and (scientific) metrology etc.
I always feel that somewhere in the world there must be some of our colleagues
who may be facing or already had faced such challenges. It would be much
more efficient if experiences could be exchanged so that new comer NMIs
doesn't have to repeat past mistakes and be able to achieve the goal faster
and more economical.
During the 15th APMP General Assembly held in Chinese Taipei, delegates
from member NMIs from developing economies had an opportunity to sit together
to exchange their experiences in promoting and developing measurement system
in their respective economies. We had discussed about the roles of APMP
in supporting the development of NMIs in developing economies. Our general
feeling is that there still is no platform to cater our specific needs.
I was asked to represent the member delegates, from KIM-LIPI, Indonesia,
SIRIM Malaysia, NSCL Syria, VMI Vietnam and NIMT Thailand, to speak out
our opinion at the General Assembly. We propose for:
|
 |
I believed that the proposal should reflect accurately needs of NMIs. I
considered it to be beneficial if NMIs from developing economies could
have an opportunity to listen to experiences from successful NMIs that
have just been established during the past decades. I have helped to organize
a Workshop for NMIs from Developing Economies on November 7, 2000, during
the APMP meetings held in Bangkok. Three Directors from successful NMIs
were invited to give presentations on their experiences of building up
NMIs from almost nothing, as following:
"Development of NMI in Turkey" by Dr. Huseyin Ugur, Director
of National Metrology Institute, Turkey
"Development of NMI in Singapore" by Mr. Lam Kong Hong, Director
of National Measurement Center, PSB Singapore
"Development of NMI in Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)" by Dr. Boh-Sheng
Harn, Deputy General Director of Center for Measurement Standards, ITRI
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
All three presentations are very informative and could give participants
clearer picture of the path developing economies had taken in developing
their NMIs. In the afternoon session, all participants in the workshop,
about 70, enthusiastically discussed to identify work plan that could help
develop NMIs.
The Developing Economies' Committee has been set up. The platform has been
provided for. It's now up to all the NMIs, developing and developed, to
join hands to help make the objectives of the Committee realized. For all
colleagues from developing economies' NMIs, all the success relies mostly
on our own initiatives and efforts.
It's a new millennium. I hope DEC could be able to make some waves within
the metrology society.
Junuary, 2001
Prayoon Shiowattana
National Institute of Metrology (Thailand)
|
