Chon Buri’s bright ambition: Aims to be top 10 smart city by 2037

An ambitious vision to elevate Chon Buri into the league of top 10 smart cities globally by 2037 has been revealed by the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO).

This grand plan, termed the Smart City and Commercial/Residential Hub project, aims to metamorphose a vast expanse of 927.2 hectares in the vicinity of the U-Tapao Airport into a high-tech urban centre.

The project’s focal point is on infusing investments into a range of sectors, including medical innovation, digital industries, workforce development, aviation, and logistics. Additionally, it concentrates on food processing, high-income group tourism, and health tourism, thereby diversifying its industrial gamut.

The financial blueprint for this grand transformation has been meticulously chalked out. It is estimated that the project will attract a massive investment of 535 billion baht over the coming five years. Public-private partnerships are forecasted to chip in with 9.7% of the total funding, translating to approximately 51.98 billion baht.

The lion’s share of the investment, 87.5% of the total, amounting to a whopping 468.07 billion baht, is expected to be poured in by the private sector.

The potential socio-economic impact of this ambitious project is equally impressive. The arrival of the smart city is anticipated to yield 50,000 jobs, foster 150 to 300 start-ups, and provide residence to 100,000 inhabitants. Importantly, it is designed to achieve these targets without causing any disruption to other Thai cities, reported Pattaya News.

To realise this vision, the EECO mapped out a 10-year plan, broken down into three key phases. The first phase in 2023 will revolve around detailed design and planning. The following year, 2024, will focus on land adjustment, road construction, and the development of a robust public utility system. From 2025 onwards, the land will be opened for leasing to private entities, marking the start of the development phase.

In sum, the EECO’s ambitious project not only holds promise to catapult Chon Buri into the global smart city map but also to revolutionise the socio-economic fabric of the region. As it unfolds, the world watches with bated breath, excited to witness the dawn of a new urban era in Thailand.