Khon Kaen, Thailand’s smart city torchbearer

Khon Kaen has been held up as a shining example to the rest of Thailand on how to develop as a smart city.

One of the four major cities of Isan in northern Thailand, Khon Kaen, was showered with praise at the 4th Apec Media Focus Group last week, hosted jointly by The Foreign Ministry, and Khon Kaen University International College.

Under the theme of “Smart City and Connectivity,” experts from the government, private sector, universities, and civil society gathered under one roof to share ideas on how to connect Khon Kaen with other cities in the Northeastern region to bring more economic benefits to the region.

Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs and APEC Senior Official of Thailand, says Khon Kaen has the potential to drive the kingdom’s Bio-Circular-Green economic agenda using smart city ideas.

“To have a smart city, we should find a way to develop our human resources. Smart cities do not only comprise of technology and digital adaptation but also capable humans.”

Khon Kaen has made huge advances in several major smart city criteria, including transportation, economy, environment, and energy, and Cherdchai says that the city’s development is due to open dialogues between the public and private sectors.

“Many smart cities try to push forward the tourism sector as the main goal for development. However, I would like to suggest the development of smart people, smart governance, and smart business, and those will bring in tourists later.”

Cherdchai concluded that Khon Kaen has shown its readiness to become a regional connectivity hub of the future.

Thailand has entered the halfway point of being the Apec host this year, which it previously hosted in 2003 and 1992, and Cherdchai says that the latest meeting tried to push forward the Bio-Circular-Green economic agenda as the driving force for human capital development and business improvement at every level while ensuring sustainable growth.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post