Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) will work with more government agencies and business organisations to help transform creative ideas into reality.
The move by TCDC, a government agency that promotes a creative economy, is aimed at encouraging Thais to be more creative and implement their ideas in business and government projects, managing director Apisit Laistrooglai said.
"We want to see Thais, especially young people, pay more attention to creativity and push for the use of creative ideas in production and services," he said.
Mr Apisit said creativity and innovation went together and could help to expand many business sectors as well as the overall economy.
Once the economic situation improves, the private sector will hire more people, thus generating more tax revenue for the country, he said.
In Western countries big corporations have thrown strong support into creativity and R&D activities, lowering their manufacturing costs and reducing the work process through their own technologies and innovations.
Mr Apisit said the creative economy would eventually make Thailand more competitive despite changes from social and economic globalisation.
The National Economic Social and Development Board estimates the Thai creative economy was worth 1.66 trillion baht last year or 13.2% of GDP.
Broken down by sector, fashion contributed 504 billion baht, design 368 billion, broadcasting 200 billion, visual arts 158 billion, software 111 billion, printing 83.5 billion, film 78.6 billion, handicrafts 87.3 billion, advertising 20.7 billion and music 1.4 billion.
In the course of its 12-year history, TCDC has promoted creativity among young people as well as a creative economy. It will expand its activities to find new talent upcountry and help to develop products under the One Tambon One Product scheme.
"We cannot resist globalisation, and doing business in this digital age takes creativity to differentiate oneself from the others," Mr Apisit said.
He said while the digital world was creating many business opportunities, it was also a door to knowledge for Thais.
TCDC has libraries and hosts exhibitions and seminars aimed at providing new knowledge to Thais and displaying creative works.
Apart from the main Bangkok location, a branch is located in Chiang Mai, while mini TCDCs are in 14 provinces.
