Phuket tops Thailand’s smart provinces: Digital agency

PHUKET: Phuket ranks as Thailand’s most technologically advanced province among 23 smart provinces while Wangchan Valley in Rayong tops the list of 30 smart cities, the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (Depa) announced on Wednesday (June 19).

Depa’s Smart Cities Office released the ranking of 30 smart cities in 23 provinces for 2023 as part of its report, “Thailand Smart City Competitiveness Index (TSCCI) 2023”.

The rankings consist of two categories, city-based and province-based smart cities, said Depa president Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin.

The top three city-based smart cities for 2023 are:

- Wanchan Valley, which rated 83.55% for performance

- Samyan Smart City in Bangkok at 79.02%

- Klong Phadung Krungkasem town in Bangkok at 74.55%

The top three province-based smart cities are:

- Phuket at 83.6%

- Chachoengsao at 76.78%

- Khon Kaen at 53.81%.

Nuttapon said the performance score was evaluated based on five key factors:

- Visions, goals, and characters of smart cities

- Development of physical and digital infrastructure

- Information network and IT security development

- Smart cities services

- Strategies for sustainable investments and management of smart cities.

The competitiveness index report is designed to encourage other provinces to develop smart cities.

Nuttapon said Depa plans to expand smart-city developments to 105 towns in 77 provinces from this year to 2027.

He also named smart cities that have achieved seven smart environment goals:

- Smart environment: Muang Yala City in Yala

- Smart economy: Muang Yala City

- Smart Energy: Mae Moh city in Lampang

- Smart governance: Muang Khon Kaen in Khon Kaen

- Smart living: Klong Phadung Krung Kasem town in Bangkok

- Smart mobility: Samyan town in Bangkok

- Smart people: Muang Phuket in Phuket - The Nation/ANN