Professor Jen Erik Fenstad and Dr. Suvit Vibulsresth, Co Chairs of the session, introduce the panel .
Professor Alain Pompidou, the speaker, speaks about the following points :
• Ethics of Technological Innovation. The mandate of COMEST includes early warning of risk situation. Patents are important as regulators and as catalysts. They can give more security and increase the welfare of innovators themselves.
• New Technology Assessment. New technologies have ethical and legal consequences. The assessment is usually focused on efficacy and efficiency, not on ethics. A broader concept of the assessment is needed.
• Disposability and Obscolescence. Technological objects have shorter lifetime because of rapid obsolescence and replacement of machines. It is a waste of resources and worsen the issue of waste management.
• Nanotechnology. There is a lack of research on ethical, legal and social implications in this field. Self reproductive system beyond direct control, among other things, poses problems.
• Ethics of Outer Space. The objectives are to raise awareness, to develop ethics, and to involove both space and academic communities. The activities include cooperation with the European Space Agency and Exploration of the possibilities of international action. The recommendation of COMEST to UNESCO is to emphasize on awareness raising and education as well as to reinforce international cooperation and involvement.
Dr. Weerapong Pairsuwan, the responder, points out that developing countries cannot catch up with emerging technologies. Therefore, they should promote lower technologies which have lower costs that respond to the needs of the countries. On this matter, Thailand should emphasize on internet development, among other things. Developing countries should also explore on disposing of new technology wastes because they do not have resources to handle such waste as nuclear wastes. Moreover, new technologies such as Nanotechnology, need international actions to establish guidelines for control. Policy making must take demand of society into account.