IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The Digital Economy and Society Ministry (DES) on Thursday announced three more Thai provinces have become members of the Asean Smart Cities Network (ASCN).

DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Rayong have joined three earlier ASCN city members from Thailand -- Bangkok, Chon Buri and Phuket.

Digital transformation is accelerating at breakneck speed around the world. Many countries have been investing in digital transformation and designing national strategies to establish digital infrastructure and develop a digital economy. They understand that powerful digital infrastructure and a robust digital economy are key to navigating the complexities of digital transformation and enhancing their competitive edge. ASEAN remains one of the world's most vibrant and fastest-growing economic regions. The burgeoning digital economy in this region continues to grow.

Thailand, situated at the heart of ASEAN, has been leading the development of the digital economy in the region and boasts the second largest economy there. In 2016, the government of Thailand announced their Thailand 4.0 strategy, a 20-year plan for national economic and social development. The strategy aims at leveraging innovative technologies to promote high-value-added businesses, pull the country out of the middle-income trap, and enhance its overall competitiveness. The government is pushing forward digital transformation to promote industry transformation and transform Thailand into a high-income country.

Jakarta is hosting a meeting of ASEAN city leaders in 2023. It is hoped that this agenda will be a forum for exchanging good experiences in managing urban issues.

Heads of regions from cities in ASEAN member countries shared their best practice experiences and worked together to support sustainable city development. Five issues emerged in a meeting titled "Meeting of Governors and Mayors of ASEAN Capitals & ASEAN Mayors Forum 2023" or MGMAC & AMF 2023.

Asean members are accelerating efforts to upgrade the digital economy within the bloc to brave digital challenges brought about by the pandemic.

Trade Negotiations Department director-general Auramon Supthaweethum, who plans to attend the upcoming 20th Asean Economic Community (AEC) Council meeting on Oct 18 via video conference, says the council wants to talk with Asean's digital ministers to exchange views on creating greater synergies between relevant sectors to prepare the region for the digital era.

Chaired by the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo, the two-day meetings were preceded by meetings with senior officials and regulators in charge of telecommunications and information technology in their respective countries to see to it that they were on track for implementing the Asean ICT Masterplan (AIM) targeted for completion in 2015.

From AI and robots to big data and clean energy, disruptive technologies are rapidly redefining our daily lives, our businesses, our economies. And in our interconnected world, these deepening impacts of "Industry 4.0" should compel countries to prepare for the changes. Asean countries are advised to focus in particular on the new technologies related to digital economy. However, in order to do so successfully requires overcoming a few key challenges: ensuring that necessary regulation and public infrastructure is in place, developing human resources and intensifying mutual cooperation.

Industry 4.0 promises a revolutionary new paradigm for economic production that employs cyber-physical production systems including online networks of sensors, machines, workpieces and information technology systems that span entire value chains. These sophisticated new systems boost productivity and lead to levels of efficiency that were not imaginable just a couple of years ago. But these benefits also come at a cost from potential labour market disruption.

With the ASEAN Smart Cities Network now in its second year, how have ASEAN’s smart city ambitions progressed and how can these hubs be smartened up going forward? How should ASEAN balance the use of 5G amid its geopolitical tensions?

The ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) is now in its second year running. Yet smart city goals, such as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), have been overshadowed by concerns of geopolitical tensions — mainly due to the technologies, such as 5G, and standards of governance involved — and could require finetuning in a post-pandemic world.

Indonesia presented three key elements in the development of smart cities in the country as well as ideas for the integration of ASEAN smart city development.

Amran, Indonesia's National Representative of the ASEAN Smart City Network, outlined the three elements, namely inclusive and culturally-aware livable cities; resilient green cities with strong public order and community protection; as well as digital-based government services to spur community welfare.

Today, EU Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Ekkaphab Phanthavong, and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) Executive Secretary Preeti Sinha kicked off the Smart Green ASEAN Cities programme.

Out of ASEAN’s population of over 630 million, nearly 300 million people live in urban areas and more than 25% live in cities with over one million inhabitants. In the next 15 years, ASEAN’s urban areas are expected to accommodate another 100 million people.

ASEAN countries are set to enter the top five global regions in terms of the application of digital technologies. By 2025, the manufacturing sector will have embraced fast evolving advanced technologies and its citizens will be increasingly using advanced digital communications in their personal lives as well as in the workplace.

A smart city is an urban area that uses technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data to efficiently manage its assets, ultimately enhancing its residents’ quality of life.

Reduced congestion, pollution control and better energy efficiency are just some of the many advantages of living in a smart city – and ASEAN has 26 of them now under its ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) pilot cities initiative.

The Meeting of Governors and Mayors of ASEAN Capitals and ASEAN Mayors Forum kicked off in Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday with a focus on strengthening connectivity and resilience for sustainable development in ASEAN cities. The meeting provided a platform for governors, mayors, and municipal leaders to discuss key urban challenges such as climate resilience, smart city technologies, sustainable economic growth, and green tourism, Lao National Radio reported on Wednesday.

Ministers of Telecommunications and Information Technology from ASEAN countries agreed to give top priority to co-operation and development in a five-year road map to 2020, Minister of Viet Nam's Information and Communications, Nguyen Bac Son said in a press conference at the closing ceremony of the 15th ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting (ASEAN TELMIN 2015).

"We all agreed to develop a sustainable and secure ASEAN community based on a digital and comprehensive community," Son said.

The Sixth Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) opened in Bali, Indonesia, on July 12 with the participation of representatives of national and local governments across the region.

Representatives from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport; and the Seoul National University attended the meeting to exchange views on how to enhance existing cooperation and catalyse new partnerships.

The governors and mayors of capital cities of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have vowed to promote close partnership and comprehensive cooperation for the development of smart, resilient and sustainable cities in the region, according to the Phnom Penh Declaration.

The declaration was issued after the Meeting of Governors/Mayors of ASEAN Capitals 2022, which was convened in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh under the chairmanship of Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng.

As ASEAN nations are quickening digital transformation to achieve their new missions for the digital age, various agencies and tech titans are building new plans to meet regional growing needs.

“Going onto the cloud is like a young person leaving home for the first time. It is full of freedom, excitement and anxiety. It is also full of risks, fear and uncertainties.” The words came from Chan Cheow Hoe, chief digital technology officer at the Government Technology Agency of Singapore, at the AWS Public Sector Summit earlier this month.

The first ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN1) wrapped up on January 22 after two days of sitting and adopted the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 (ADM 2025).

The document looks to digital cooperation among the regional nations during the 2021-2025 period to turn ASEAN into a leading digitally connected community and economic bloc powered by digital transformation services, modern technology, ecological system and cyber security guarantee.

Thailand’s Ministry of ICT was appointed by the ASEAN member countries to lead the panel on the development of the regional e-government plan related especially to logistic and free movement of labours.

The objective is to connect and integrate government e-services of member countries paving way to future enhancement in the same direction.