The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) collaborated with Ubon Ratchathani to provide updates on progress of the smart city development project with three rai of land plot designated for developing “Digital Valley @Ubon,” aimed at creating a new ecosystem to enhance the development of digital technology and innovation in the province. It is expected to become the key mechanism to steer the smart city development in Ubon Ratchathani. The depa also provided details about its support and assistance measures for businesses and people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of depa, said the depa and Ubon Ratchathani have continuously cooperated to launch activities to drive the smart city development project in the province in line with the policy of Smart City Development Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. The depa has launched promotional activities to create awareness and understanding about the smart city as well as promoting and supporting community enterprises and local business operators to adopt digital technologies and innovation in order to drive economic growth, raise income and improve the quality of life of local people in Ubon Ratchathani.
Thawatchai Khotwong, Vice President, Noryheast District Office of the depa, said Ubon Ratchathani is part of the 40 zones specially designated for developing smart cities in the category of “Livable, Authentic City” and “New, Modern City”. Potential locations that are ready for being developed as the pilot smart cities have been decided in order to apply for privileges and being certified as smart cities. There are four zones, comprising an authentic city at Ubon Ratchathani’s Mueang District and three other areas defined as new cities at Khong Chiam District, Sirindhorn District and Chong Mek cross-border trading area. The smart city development project at the four designated zones will focus on developing four smart areas: Smart Environment, Smart Economy, Smart Mobility and Smart People. Suphasit Korcharoenchot, Deputy Provincial Governor of Ubon Ratchathani, said the province has allocated a land plot of three rai located within Ubon Ratchathani City Hall for the depa to use to construct “Digital Valley @Ubon” which consists of the depa office building and the new digital-driven ecosystem to promote the development of digital technology and innovation. The initiative plays a crucial role in steering the smart city development to enhance the potential of the proposed smart cities in Ubon Ratchathani.
At the press conference, the depa also discussed details of assistance measures for people and businesses affected by the spread of the COVID-19 through the depa Digital Transformation Fund for Community and the depa Mini Transformation Voucher.
The support and assistance measures provided by the depa focus on encouraging community enterprises to adopt the use of digital technologies and innovation to enhance competitiveness, which is regarded as a major step forward to maximizing the smart city development as well as boosting the efficiency of management to achieve the highest benefits. The adoption of modern and advanced technology and innovation includes Smart Farm at greenhouses, which employs advanced technologies to optimize precision farming to boost production efficiency, crop resilience, pesticide prevention, water control, fertilizer management, temperature management and optimizing greenhouse lighting. The precision agriculture technologies also help increase net returns and lower operating costs. At the same time, crop yields from using high-tech equipment have the quality that meets the needs in the market and they have good prices as well. If the agricultural produce and products are integrated with online sales and distribution platforms or e-commerce channels, it will enable farmer to directly access customers or buyers.
After that, Suphasit Korcharoenchot, Deputy Provincial Governor of Ubon Ratchathani, together with representatives of the depa, presented thermoscan devices to Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital with an aim to enhance the adoption of digital technologies in the public health sector in order to lower the chance of virus infections and transmissions as well as reducing the burden on healthcare workers and medical personnel.