Smart City Thailand: Visioning and Design to Enhance Sustainability, Resiliency, and Community Wellbeing

K N Irvine,Peeradorn Kaewlai,Nij Tontisirin,Alisa Sahavacharin,Pranisa Boonkam,Shusak Janpathompong,Asan Suwanarit,Massimo Ingegno,Jitiporn Wongwatcharapaiboon,Hansa Srilertchaipanij,Fa Likitswat

doi:10.3390/urbansci6010007

K N Irvine, Peeradorn Kaewlai + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci6010007

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Journal: Urban Science	Publication Date: Feb 3, 2022
Citations: 12	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Thammasat University, Chulalongkorn University

Abstract

A “Smart City” framework was used to investigate and develop visions of alternative futures for a peri-urban superblock north of Bangkok, Thailand. The Smart City framework considers seven smart pillars: environment, economy, energy, mobility, people, living, and governance, with a focus on community wellbeing that is supported by information and communication technology (ICT). A mixed-method approach that included: community and industry surveys, both online and face-to-face (total n = 770); in depth, semi-structured, stakeholder interviews; passive participant observation; and photo-documentation was used to inform and organize the project visions and designs. Several themes emerged from the community surveys and key stakeholder interviews: (i) connected green space is highly valued and effectively links multiple smart pillars, enhancing community wellbeing and resiliency to flooding; (ii) superblock mobility, connectivity, and sustainable development could be achieved through a seamless, integrated public-transit system following the principles of transit-oriented development (TOD); (iii) the superblock should prepare for the implementation of Thailand 4.0 through the improved programmatic and physical integration of local industry, community, and universities, including plans for a Digital Village and co-work space. Example designs that address these considerations and vision alternative futures for the superblock are presented in this Smart City case study.

Highlights

The Smart City concept has been promoted as a new guiding philosophy of urbanism [1,2,3,4], Cugurullo [5] suggested that the origins of “faith in technology” and “techno-urban development” have lineage dating to 1627 and Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis
Soderstrom et al [6] traced the Smart City evolution to approximately concurrent but parallel strands of urban planning discourse, the first strand being the ideas of Smart Growth and New Urbanism that emerged from the U.S in the 1980’s and 1990’s [7,8] and the second being that of technology-based intelligent cities
There is a clear connection between Thailand 4.0 and interest in Smart City development that is being advanced by the Thai Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) [14,15]

Summary

Introduction

The Smart City concept has been promoted as a new guiding philosophy of urbanism [1,2,3,4], Cugurullo [5] suggested that the origins of “faith in technology” and “techno-urban development” (components of the Smart City movement) have lineage dating to 1627 and Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis. While the Smart City concept was adopted by several Thai government agencies in 2003, it did not gain traction until it became linked with the Thailand 4.0 policy, introduced in May 2016 [11,13]. Thailand 4.0, in essence, is an economic development plan aimed at promoting creativity, innovation, and high-level services, with advanced digital technology being an important cornerstone. In this sense, there is a clear connection between Thailand 4.0 and interest in Smart City development that is being advanced by the Thai Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) [14,15]

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