depa Kicks Off Thailand Smart City Week 2020 for People to Experience Digital Technologies for Smart City Development with Multitude of Activities In Place to Drive Thailand to Become World-Class Smart City
The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) kicked off Thailand Smart City Week 2020 that extravagantly shows a wide variety of advanced, smart technologies and innovations. It is the first time in Thailand that the digital showcase event is held in the "Real Digital" format under the "REAL Solutions for REAL People in the REAL Smart Cities" concept. The digital-inspired event aims to drive Thailand to become one of the world-class smart cities to succeed in developing a network of smart cities both in Thailand and abroad. The event visitors and audiences will be able to get in touch with the latest smart technologies and innovations in multiple aspects as well as a range of technology-related knowledge, seminars and thought-provoking activities available in 4 zones throughout the week-long event from now until October 22.
Mr. Teeranun Srihong, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners at Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), presided over the opening of Thailand Smart City Week 2020, which is organized in the "Real Digital" style for the first time in Thailand under the "REAL Solutions for REAL People in the REAL Smart Cities" concept. The event is organized by the depa?s Smart City Thailand Office, which is under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES).
Mr. Teeranun Srihong said that Thailand Smart City Week 2020 aims to move Thailand forward to become a world-class smart city as well as driving the development of smart cities in Thailand and abroad. The event will serve as the bridge to connect people in general with the advanced technologies and innovations in order to facilitate the smart urbanization, technological adoptions and digital transformations. The ultimate goal is to enhance economic and social development in a sustainable way.
"Smart city development is regarded as a global agenda that people around the world are greatly interested in as it is a fundamental for economic and social development. Smart city development will be driven by the collective collaboration between state agencies, officials and local people in each designated area, particularly the public and private sectors. The aim is to achieve the same ambitious goal to develop a more livable, modern city with a commitment to helping people have a better quality of life. The depa has always prioritized and carried out smart city development policy in alignment with the 20-year national development strategy. Meanwhile, the MDES laid out the highly-efficient digital infrastructure across the country as part of the roadmap to Thailand 4.0 model. Therefore, smart city development is the government?s core mechanism initiated to help narrow society disparities as well as helping to promote a fairly distributed growth and prosperities in each region across the country," said depa?s Chairman of the Board of Commissioners.
After that, Mr. Teeranun Srihong presented smart city certificates to 13 zones designated for development of smart cities in order to amplify the importance of smart city development and to emphasize the success of smart city development in Thailand, which is in line with the direction of the National Smart City Steering Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan and the Smart City Sub-Committee to oversee the development of smart cities chaired by Mr. Buddhipongse Punnakanta, Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES). They set a target to have a total of 100 smart cities in each province in Thailand and three of them must be well accepted, world-class smart cities.
Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of depa, said the depa?s Smart City Thailand Office and Thailand acknowledge the importance of raising awareness about people-centric smart city development. So, the depa came up with Thailand Smart City Week 2020, which will be organized in the hybrid format. It is the first of its kind in Thailand when people can have hands-on experience of urban lifestyle in a smart city virtually via online platforms from across regions. It is in response to the post-pandemic new-normal lifestyle.
"People and all stakeholders are allowed to participate in the event to experience the smart technologies and innovations for smart city development before adopting such technologies. The event also aims to show foreign countries the readiness and preparedness of Thailand on the path to the fully fledged digital era. It also helps boost confidence and can eventually lead to more investments in Thailand as it is in compliance with the "Smart City" concept, where digital technologies and innovations are wisely taken advantage of to maximize the efficiency of city and town management, helping to reduce costs and city resources. The concept of smart city emphasizes versatile and practical design with participatory governance as the public, private sectors and all stakeholders can provide inputs for a joint smart urbanization to create a livable, modern city, where people have a better quality of life and enjoy a sustainable happiness," said the president/CEO of depa.
Highlights at Thailand Smart City Week 2020 are divided into 4 zones.
"Thailand Smart City Week 2020" is open to the public free of charge. The week-long hybrid event runs until October 22, 2020 at the website scw.smartcitythailand.or.th or visit www.smartcitythailand.or.th or visit facebook.com/smartcitythailand for more information. Further inquiries, contact Smart City Thailand Office, Digital Economy Promotion Agency, Tel 0 2026 2333. People and parties from both the public and private sectors that have relevant smart city development projects or plans or looking to apply to be part of designated smart city development zones, can register to receive advisory services at https://bit.ly/36slCyL