Thailand's Department of Agriculture (DOA) is pushing preparations to establish the country's first National Rice Institute that intends to play the leading role in managing and coordinating research and marketing of rice. A detailed plan of action will be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval within a fortnight.

The newly-formed National Rice Institute is intended to centralise and integrate activities related to rice, with personnel mainly seconded from DOA and possibly the Ministry of Commerce which regulates rice trade and export.