China, Japan likely to join smart city development in Thailand
The smart city initiative in the framework of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is likely to be the second development project in Thailand with the participation of China and Japan, following a high-speed rail network project.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong and other officials attend the Smart City Thailand Takeoff event. (Source:www.bangkokpost.com)
Bangkok (VNA) – The smart cityinitiative in the framework of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is likely tobe the second development project in Thailand with the participation of Chinaand Japan, following a high-speed rail network project.
Secretary General of the EEC Office KanitSangsubhan said the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is conductinga feasibility study for smart city development in the EEC, focusing on thesmart city evaluation framework, policies and incentives that could attractprivate enterprises.
According to the current regulations, private firms are allowed to develop their own smartcities. Amata Corporation Plc - an industrial estate developer and operator - isready to develop a smart city project at its industrial estate in Chon Buriprovince, Kanit said.
Amata plans to transform a 42-square-kilometre industrial estate into a smartcity by applying new technology, renewable energy, energy-efficientinfrastructure and sustainable environmental management.
The firm cooperated with Yokohama city of Japanto complete the feasibility study last year.
In March, Tadashi Maeda, Governor of the JapanBank for International Cooperation (JBIC), confirmed to Thai Prime MinisterPrayut Chan-o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak that the bankwas ready to extend soft loans for the high-speed railway project linking thethree main airports of Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-tapao.
JBIC also confirmed its support for investment in the smart city project in Chachoengsao.
Meanwhile,the China Development Bank (CDB) also pledged to invest in the project, andurge Chinese firms to invest in projects in the EEC.
Thai Deputy PM Somkid said thesupport from both China and Japan in the EEC is meaningful for building theinvestment climate in Thailand and boosting investors’ confidence in overallEEC development.
Thailand has yet to set any schedule for the bidding for the smart city developmentin the EEC, as the government is initially focusing on the five infrastructureprojects, including the high-speed railway project linking the threeabove-mentioned airports.-VNA
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Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong and other officials attend the Smart City Thailand Takeoff event. (Source:www.bangkokpost.com) 
