Bangkok: August 22, 2019 – The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) collaborated with the Ministry of Energy, the Transport Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to host ASEAN Smart Cities Network: ASCN 2019 in Bangkok. Representatives from ASEAN’s 26 smart cities, including Luang Prabang, Naypyidaw, Jakarta, Johor Bahru, Batdambang, Bandar Seri Begawan, Singapore and Bangkok, attended the meeting to discuss the smart city development framework and follow up on the progress of each pilot smart city. ASEAN Smart Cities 2019 is divided into two events, which will be organized concurrently. The ASCN Annual Meeting 2019 is the roundtable meeting under the “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability” vision held to discuss the smart city development roadmap for sustainability. The ASEAN Smart Cities Network Conference & Exhibition 2019 features smart city exhibition booths from ASEAN member states with over 60 participants from public and private sectors confirmed to take part in the event. There are special seminars on urban planning by 50 experts in the field of town and city planning from across the world. The seminar covers four concepts: City X Tech, Ultimate Driving Forces, Sustainable-By-Design and Better City through Better Digital Governance with an aim is to achieve the sustainable smart cities. The ASCN Annual Meeting 2019 will held on August 23, 2019 at Renaissance Hotel Ratchaprasong. And the ASEAN Smart Cities Network Conference & Exhibition 2019 between August 22-24, 2019 at GMM LIVE HOUSE, CentralWorld.
Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, presided over the event. He said the ASEAN Smart Cities Network is the second meeting in Thailand as the chair of ASEAN. The first meeting was held in June this year. The main objective of ASCN 2019 is to develop a network of collaboration for developing smart cities in ASEAN, share knowledge and experience in urban planning and the best urban development practice. The meeting covers a wide range of issues, including the progress of smart city in each stage of development as well as exploring new opportunities and forming relations with ASEAN’s external partners. The ASCN meeting also targets to expand the network of smart city alliance in ASEAN through using advanced technologies and digital innovation for sustainability. The representatives from 26 smart cities in ASEAN shared their perspectives and discussed the smart city development framework before proposing the smart city development initiative at the upcoming 35th ASEAN Summit in November 2019 in order to enhance the competitiveness of ASEAN in a sustainable manner. The minister of foreign affairs of Thailand also represented the Thai government to deliver a keynote speech titled “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability.”
Ms. Ajarin Pattanapanchai, Permanent secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, who fostered the smart city development project in Thailand, said the ASEAN Smart Cities Network: ASCN 2019 in Bangkok is divided into the ASCN Annual Meeting 2019 and ASEAN Smart Cities Network Conference & Exhibition 2019. The highlight is the seminar on urban development by leading experts in technology both from Thailand and abroad. The topic of discussion covers four key areas;
- City X Tech: Hacking Exponential Growth through Deep Innovation. Moving smart cities forward through incorporating technology into urban design to promote greater level of connectivity, smart life, smart living. The role of technology in urban development will greatly help address the environmental problems as it can improve the quality of lives of people in urban areas in the future.
- Ultimate Driving Forces: Reengineering Public-Private Partnership. How it will look like if the urban planning and smart cities development is driven responsibly and sustainably by the comprehensive collaboration of state agencies and the business sector under the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). The collaboration between public and private sectors will become the ultimate driving force behind building smart cities.
- Sustainable-By-Design: Creativity and the City Sustainable-By-Design. This topic covers the role of creativity in urban development in a sustainable way. The combination of the cultural, economic, political and social values to become part of urban lifestyle and smart city residents. The aim is to enhance the potential of the people and to sustainably attract new visitors.
- Better City through Better Digital Governance. The topic aims to create a better living, a better life in the city through using the digital technology to create a feeling of ownership in all city residents with shared responsibilities. The smart city development will focus on regulating the digital system in order to create and share the best city development practice. It will help to efficiently facilitate the decision-making process under the digital-driven strategy.
Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, president of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), said the previous ASEAN Smart Cities Network was an ASEAN-level meeting with an ultimate goal to build smart cities in a sustainable way. Experts in the field of urban planning came to share their views on the smart city development. The ASCN attracted attention and received an overwhelming response from both public and private sectors both in Thailand and in foreign countries. As for the second ASCN 2019 meeting, leading experts in technology from several countries will come to share their knowledge, perspectives and the success in creating smart cities in different regions. The discussion is held in a casual talk-show format. There are exhibition booths showcasing a diverse range of technologies and digital innovation to serve as a guideline in preparation for any changes and challenges as well as the digital disruption in the digital era in the near future. The second ASCN meeting also features a business matching session, where business operators come to share their outlook and advice on the smart city development. The event is expected to attract over 5,000 visitors from both public and private sectors in Thailand and from abroad.
For further inquiries and more information, visit ascn2019.com or visit www.smartcitythailand.or.th
https://www.smartcitythailand.or.th/