Nimmanhaemin Road in Chiang Mai has been chosen as the location for the pilot project in the transformation of this northern province, famous for its rich culture, into a smart city.

The project is estimated to cost about 350 million baht. All the overhead electrical and communication cables will be moved underground and, at the same time, a new water pipeline will be laid, along with improvements to footpaths and the installation of a CCTV system.

The project is expected to be launched on October 1^st and to be completed within 12 months.

Chiang Mai is one of the seven cities, in provinces including Phuket, Khon Kaen and Chon Buri, to be developed into smart cities in the first stage of development. In the second stage, 30 more cities in 24 provinces are to be developed.

The development of smart cities will be placed under the jurisdiction and supervision of the Thailand’s Office of Smart Cities, which will soon be set up to fast-track the work.

Nimmanhaemin Road is well known for its cultural diversity with chic and trendy shops alongside more traditional venues.  It is a popular tourist attraction for both Thai and foreign tourists.

Mr. Warodom Peetakanont, president of the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce, said that business operators welcome the pilot project and several of them have already made adjustments to their businesses to accommodate the digital age.

Assistant Professor Poon Tiangburanatham, of the engineering faculty of Chiang Mai University, said that the key element of the smart city project is the sharing of business information among the private sector, which remains to be realized because of their reluctance to share confidential information.