"depa" Presents Smart City Promotion Certificates to 13 Designated Zones To Show Continued Progress of Thailand?s Smart City Development as Would-Be Smart Cities Reach 40 Nationwide
The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) revealed the success and progress of the smart city development project in Thailand as well as presenting the Smart City Promotion Zone Certificates to 13 designated zones for development as smart cities at Thailand Smart City Week 2020. The depa is committed to succeeding in creating 100 smart cities across the country within 2022.
Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of depa, said the depa?s Smart City Thailand Office has continuously prioritized smart city development as it has provided promotions and support to steering smart city development in each region across the country in alignment with the government?s 20-year national development strategy. The promotions and support from the Smart City Thailand Office included sharing and exchanging knowledge, seminars and public opinion compilation as well as working collaboratively and comprehensively with all stakeholders and people in designated smart city development zones in order to create a participatory action to solve key problems and standardize urbanization development. Relevant state agencies and the private sector will also play a crucial role in managing the smart city in a sustainable manner. The aim is to achieve a central goal in building up a livable, modern city, where people have a better quality of life.
Lately, at the opening ceremony of Thailand Smart City Week 2020 on October 16, the depa presented Smart City Promotion Zone Certificates in the category of "Livable City" and "New City" to 13 designated zones. It is another occasion of the Smart City Promotion Zone Certificate presentation since the last time the smart city certificates were presented to 27 zones in 22 provinces at Digital Thailand Big Bang 2019. The list of 13 zones that received Smart City Promotion Zone Certificates is as follows;
1: Chula Smart City, Bangkok
2: Smart City on Rama 4 Road,Bangkok
3: Krabi Smart City, Krabi
4: Saensuk Smart City, Chonburi 5: Saha Group Smart City, Chonburi 6: Nongkhai Smart City, Nong Khai
7: Phang Nga Smart City, Phang Nga
8: Phitsanulok Smart City, Phitsanulok
9: Nu Smart City, Phitsanulok
10: Banchang Smart City, Rayong
11:Wangchan Valley Smart City, Rayong
12: Origin Smart City Rayong, Rayong
13: Nakhon Si Thammarat Smart City, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Dr. Nuttapon said that the Smart City Promotion Zone Certificate presentation reflects the depa?s commitment to driving development of smart cities and the progress of smart city development in Thailand. It also serves as a morale booster and encouragement to strengthen the confidence of all enthusiastic stakeholders involved in smart city development.
"Smart city promotion zones are regarded as the potential zones that will receive promotions and support to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies and innovations for the benefits of the economy and society. It is the development guidance for smart urbanization in preparation for being a smart city that emphasizes elevating the quality of life, livability and livelihood of people. All 13 designated zones that obtained the Smart City Promotion Zone Certificates are potential locations as they are ready for being developed as Thailand?s smart cities. They have clear smart city development plans and roadmaps and have development leaders who have determination and understanding about smart cities. Those smart-city designated zones received collaboration and cooperation from local people who unanimously concurred with their rural developments in all aspects of life. They were also qualified and passed the preliminary screening criteria of the Smart City Thailand Office. Currently, there are 40 smart city development zones in total and the depa sets a target to have 100 smart cities across regions in Thailand by 2022. The depa also expects to have no less than three smart cities that are accepted internationally," said the president and CEO of depa.
In addition, all smart city promotion zones and smart city development projects will be reviewed and considered by the Smart City Sub-Committee chaired by Mr. Buddhipongse Punnakanta, Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) before forwarding to the National Smart City Steering Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan for consideration.
