Thailand Khon Kaen a ‘Model’smart city
Source：Bangkok Post Newspaper
From：Taiwan Trade Center, Bangkok
Update Time：2022/08/11
Thailand is set to host the Apec Summit this year. The Foreign Ministry and Khon Kaen University International College recently hosted AMF under the theme of “Smart City and Connectivity”, where experts from the government, private sector, universities, and civil society brainstormed ideas on how to connect Khon Kaen with other cities in the Northeastern region.
In 2015, Khon Kaen's mayor proposed integrating the Khon Kaen LRT project into its Smart City scheme.
The rail network will also support the country's high-speed rail project, linking Nong Khai and Bangkok, as well as the dual-track rail network linking Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima.
Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs and Apec Senior Official of Thailand, said during the recent event that Khon Kaen has the potential to become a regional hub to drive the kingdom's Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic agenda using smart city ideas.
"To have a smart city, we should find a way to develop our human resources," he said. "Smart cities do not only comprise of technology and digital adaptation but also [capable] humans."
Khon Kaen is considered a smart city as it has advances in seven major criteria, including transportation, economy, environment and energy. A light rail project is expected to soon be announced.
Mr Cherdchai said Khon Kaen could not have been developed solely by the state. It needed the public to participate in open dialogues, with civil society organisations contributing to the development, he said.
"Many smart cities try to push forward the tourism sector as the main goal for development," he said. "However, I would like to suggest the development of smart people, smart governance and smart business, and those will bring in tourists later."
Khon Kaen has shown its readiness to become a regional connectivity hub of the future, he said.
As Thailand enters the halfway point of being the Apec host this year, he said that the meeting tried to push forward BCG as the driving force for human capital development and business improvement at every level while ensuring sustainable growth.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/