a day ago
Wipo honours princess with envoy role
The World Intellectual Property Organization (Wipo) has officially invited Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya to serve as the Wipo Ambassador for Design and Fashion, having recognised her creative achievements and commitment to promoting intellectual property as a tool for sustainable community and global development.
Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin announced the honour yesterday, highlighting the princess's dedication to advancing Thai culture and craftsmanship on the international stage. The invitation was extended during a visit by Wipo Director-General Daren Tang, who was welcomed by Mr Suchart, Thailand's Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and Wipo representative Pimchanok Pitfield, as well as other ministry officials.
HRH Princess Sirivannavari becomes the third Thai royal to receive a prestigious Wipo title.
The late King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great was previously honoured with a Wipo Global Leaders Award, while HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn received the Award for Creative Excellence.
"This recognition is a source of national pride," said Mr Suchart.
"It celebrates HRH Princess Sirivannavari's visionary leadership in continuing the legacy of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, particularly in preserving and promoting Thai textiles globally."
He also praised the Princess's initiative, "Pha Thai Sai Hai Sanook" (Wearing Thai Textiles, a Fun Way), which encourages the public to embrace Thai crafts while generating sustainable income for local communities.
During the meeting, Mr Suchart and Mr Tang discussed further collaboration on leveraging technology, innovation, and intellectual property to drive economic growth.
Topics included Thailand's soft power strategy, investment in artificial intelligence (AI), and the development of data centres.
They also explored the potential of the Global Innovation Index (GII) as a tool to enhance the nation's global competitiveness, and considered a pilot project to use intellectual property as collateral for financial funding, aimed at boosting investment and economic value. Mr Tang expressed his appreciation for Thailand's progress in the latest GII rankings, noting the country's rise from 43rd to 41st place.
