New Smart City Planned for Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor

Thailand will develop a new smart city in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, Thailand. The development is part of the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and will be located 15 kilometers from U-Tapao Airport. 

Mr. Kanit Sangsubhan, secretary-general of the EEC Office, estimates that the new smart city will draw 1.34 trillion baht's worth of investment over 10 years and create 200,000 new jobs. 

Financial centers, regional headquarters and centers of government agencies, digital industry, logistics services, research centers and residential buildings for workers are among the envisaged features of the new smart city.  It is also expected to house 300,000 people. 

The new smart city is the fifth flagship infrastructure project in the EEC. Investment for the smart city will comprise 37.7 billion baht from government agencies, 131 billion from public-private partnerships, and 1.18 trillion from private investment. 

Other EEC projects include a high-speed railway link between three airports; the development of U-Tapao Airport; the Map Ta Phut Industrial Port Phase 3; and Laem Chabang Port Phase 3. These are worth a combined 655 billion baht, with 416 billion baht to be provided by the private sector.