The IoT Institute will be an anchor tenant at the Digital Park Thailand that is now being constructed in the country’s Si Racha district in Chonburi, according to the Digital Economy Promotion Industry (DEPA).
Digital Park Thailand is a flagship project under Thailand’s Easter Economic Corridor, which is aimed at creating an ecosystem conducive the development of technology-oriented innovations. It is envisioned to become the digital and innovation hub of the ASEAN sub-region.
“We are seeking to attract more than 100,000 digital ecosystem developers into Thailand to help us with the movement,” Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, president and CEO of DEPA, was quoted in news reports earlier this year.
He added: “Digital ecosystem developers don’t only mean programmers and developers, but also cover non-tech business and enablers that will help drive the digital ecosystem.”
Nimmanphatcharin pointed out that “Thailand 4.0 is our goal and target of how to move forward and progress for our future economy … from our traditional OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to a nation that produces higher value services and products”.
With an earmarked invested of US$160 million, Digital Park Thailand is now on the second phase of the four-year construction that ends in 2021. The park with a total area of 100 rais or approximately 160,000 square metres will be a complete community that will include a planned transportation network (airport, seaport, high-speed rail etc), a technology-oriented university and new cities.
Thailand Digital Valley
The planned IoT Institute will be located inside the park’s Thailand Digital Valley, a 30-rai (48,000 square meter) area managed by DEPA which will serve as the centre of innovation for the whole Thailand Digital Park.
“It will be a place where Thai youth will be able create new innovations,” said Nimmanphatcharin.
IoT as well as artificial intelligence will be the key technologies for development at the digital valley. The IoT Institute hopes to nurture a community of startups and tech investors that will take the product of Thai R&D into the global stage.
Besides The IoT Institute, the Thailand Digital Valley is comprised of five buildings:
- Building 1: office building
- Building 2: 1st IoT building (Digital Startups and Co-Working Centre)
- Building 3: 2nd IoT building (Digital Innovation and Co-Creation Centre)
- Building 4: 3rd IoT building (Digital Edutainment Complex)
- Building 5: 4th IoT building (Digital Global Connect)
“If we are successful in what we set out to do here, we will generate at least 30,000 jobs for the community,” Nimmanphatcharin said.
