Depa Phuket joins ‘Towards Asean Smart City Network Development’ seminar

PHUKET: Officials from the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (Depa) Phuket Branch recently joined the “Thailand-Japan Collaboration Seminar: Towards Asean Smart City Network Development” where the collaboration between Thailand and Japan in developing smart cities in Thailand and elsewhere in the Asean region was discussed.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Prajin Juntong speaks to media at Monday’s seminar. Photo: PR Dept

The seminar was held at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel on Monday (June 18) and presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Prajin Juntong.

Also in attendance at the seminar were the Minister of Digital Economy and Society Pichet Durongkaveroj, together with members of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transport, and Energy Policy and Planing Office.

At the 32^nd Asean Summit, held in Singapore on April 28, Asean leaders agreed to set up a Smart Cities Network to share experiences, knowledge and technology to improve the lives and livelihood of the people in cities across all the Asean member states.

The JETRO saw this as a chance to develop a Smart City initiative between Thailand and Japan with cooperation from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

During the seminar it was agreed that there are three issues required to achieve Smart Cities status. The first is that businesses and local people must want the Smart City status.

The second is that each country’s government must give importance to Smart City development. The last is that all government sectors join in developing a Smart City.

Mr Prajin said that the government plans to apply digital technology across the country to improve the lives and livelihood of people in every part of Thailand, and that seven smart cities would be developed this year; Phuket, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Bangkok, Chonburi, Rayong, and Chachoengsao.

“Smart Cities are cities that take advantages of modern and smart technology and use it to increase the quality of services and administrations, and reduce expenses and resources,” Mr Prajin said.

He also said that the government plans to develop a further 30 other smart cities over the course of the next three years, with all provinces being developed within five years.

Also at the seminar, committees were set up to oversee six specific areas; smart community, smart environment, smart transportation, smart energy, smart economy, and smart administration.