Dr. Theeraya Kritsadaphong, Chief Executive Officer of Specialty Natural Products Public Company Limited (SNPS), stated at the Technology & AI Sovereignty seminar during the NDCFL Symposium 2026 that reliance without alternatives is a risk. She pointed out that over 80% of drugs used by Thais are imported, and even for domestically produced drugs, about 90% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) still need to be imported. She proposed a three-tier preparedness approach: Buy Global, Learn Local, and Own the Strategic Layer. She also cited the case of a manufacturer of key ingredients for Taxane cancer drugs, which has an advantage because it owns the Dossier. She suggested that Thailand should accelerate building Evidence-to-Market Capability to turn technology and resources into globally accepted products, choosing the Healthcare and Wellness Economy field, where research costs are 30-40% lower than in the US and Europe. She also proposed the concept of "Value Captured in Thailand" to measure the value retained within the country.
Specialty Natural Products PCLSNPS CEO warns Thailand's drug supply relies on imports (80% of drugs, 90% of APIs), highlighting supply-chain risk for the sector, but no company-specific development is stated.
