Management for success of smart city projects in Thailand

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) study the current situation and problems of smart city projects in Thailand, 2) compare the levels of being smart cities in Thailand classified by the characteristics of local government organizations, 3) study smart city management affecting the levels of being smart cities in Thailand, and 4) propose guidelines for smart city management to achieve success of smart city projects in Thailand. A mixed methods approach of qualitative and quantitative research was employed.
In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 experts, and a questionnaire was used to collect data from 400 high-level executive representatives of local government organizations. Data was analyzed using content analysis. Statistical analyses included frequency, mean, percentage, standard deviation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis.

The results revealed that 1) the smart city project is an important national policy that has not yet been implemented comprehensively across all areas. There are redundancies in data collection and city data management due to a lack of specialized consultants. There is also a lack of personnel capable of using technology to participate in the certification process to become a smart city in Thailand. 2) The level of smart city management practices and the level of being smart cities in Thailand were low. Local government organizations with different characteristics had significantly different levels of being smart cities at the .01 level. 3) Smart city management factors affecting smart city levels included consulting, budget management, reporting, planning, controlling, and personnel management. 4) Guidelines for successful smart city project management were: 1) The Digital Economy Promotion Agency issues regulations requiring all areas to become smart cities, 2) Local governments appoint consultants to make their areas smart cities according to the DEPA policy, 3) DEPA requires all local governments to develop long-term smart city master plans, and 4) DEPA establishes a working group to restructure joint administration with stakeholders in line with international smart city projects.