High-tech exports, low R&D
High-tech share is not R&D intensity. PH highest SEA-11 high-tech export share 61.0% (2024) vs MY 58.6%, VN 44.3% (2023), TH 28.3%, ID 8.7%; GERD 0.28% of GDP (2020), level with ID, behind MY 1.01% and TH 0.94%. Researchers 320/million (2020), resident patents 490 (2021) lowest of five peers; GII 2025 50th / 33.6. SG ceiling (GERD 1.81%, GII 5th).
Research intensity
Expenditure and researcher density retain country-specific vintages.
R&D expenditure
| Economy | Value | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 0.27764 | 2018 |
| Cambodia | 0.08828 | 2015 |
| Indonesia | 0.28068 | 2020 |
| Laos | 0.0371 | 2002 |
| Malaysia | 1.0121 | 2022 |
| Myanmar | 0.02307 | 2023 |
| Philippines | 0.27625 | 2020 |
| Singaporeceiling | 1.80821 | 2022 |
| Thailand | 0.93628 | 2023 |
| Vietnam | 0.41456 | 2023 |
| Timor-Leste | GAP | GAP |
World Bank WDI GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Researchers
| Economy | Value | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 506.18125 | 2022 |
| Cambodia | 30.38923 | 2015 |
| Indonesia | 395.34168 | 2020 |
| Laos | 15.62884 | 2002 |
| Malaysia | 1218.32989 | 2022 |
| Myanmar | 28.00891 | 2023 |
| Philippines | 320.27857 | 2020 |
| Singaporeceiling | 8781.74332 | 2022 |
| Thailand | 1591.96746 | 2023 |
| Vietnam | 836.10677 | 2023 |
| Timor-Leste | GAP | GAP |
World Bank WDI SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6 (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Resident patents
Resident patent applications are not venture funding.
Resident patent applications
| Economy | Value | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 2 | 2021 |
| Cambodia | 1 | 2018 |
| Indonesia | 1397 | 2021 |
| Laos | 1 | 2018 |
| Malaysia | 883 | 2021 |
| Myanmar | GAP | GAP |
| Philippines | 490 | 2021 |
| Singaporeceiling | 2024 | 2021 |
| Thailand | 867 | 2021 |
| Vietnam | 1066 | 2021 |
| Timor-Leste | GAP | GAP |
High-tech export composition
Export composition is not domestic research intensity.
High-tech exports
| Economy | Value | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 1.06433459453488 | 2024 |
| Cambodia | 5.26214140574212 | 2024 |
| Indonesia | 8.7110437578916 | 2024 |
| Laos | 7.41963729583454 | 2023 |
| Malaysia | 58.6276748543331 | 2024 |
| Myanmar | 5.19991999790977 | 2024 |
| Philippines | 60.975307025875 | 2024 |
| Singaporeceiling | 59.429782938503 | 2024 |
| Thailand | 28.3057768762254 | 2024 |
| Vietnam | 44.256885251682 | 2023 |
| Timor-Leste | 1.52605032155587 | 2023 |
Global Innovation Index
Rank and score retain their original orientations.
GII rank
| Economy | Value | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 88 | 2025 |
| Cambodia | 100 | 2025 |
| Indonesia | 55 | 2025 |
| Laos | 109 | 2025 |
| Malaysia | 34 | 2025 |
| Myanmar | 122 | 2025 |
| Philippines | 50 | 2025 |
| Singaporeceiling | 5 | 2025 |
| Thailand | 45 | 2025 |
| Vietnam | 44 | 2025 |
| Timor-Leste | GAP | GAP |
WIPO Global Innovation Index 2025 country brief (139 economies)
GII score
| Economy | Value | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 24.5 | 2025 |
| Cambodia | 22.0 | 2025 |
| Indonesia | 31.3 | 2025 |
| Laos | 20.1 | 2025 |
| Malaysia | 40.6 | 2025 |
| Myanmar | 17.3 | 2025 |
| Philippines | 33.6 | 2025 |
| Singaporeceiling | 59.9 | 2025 |
| Thailand | 36.7 | 2025 |
| Vietnam | 37.1 | 2025 |
| Timor-Leste | GAP | GAP |
WIPO Global Innovation Index 2025 score (via TheGlobalEconomy.com ASEAN / country pages citing WIPO)
Cite this page
ASEAN in Data (2026). Innovation & R&D. /insights/innovation-rd