The Role of the Science Park in the Smart City at Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand

Nakhon Ratchasima is the largest province in Thailand with a population of 2.6 million people. It is known as the gateway to the northeastern region, which is rich in resources such as transportation, education, government institutions, hospitals, trade, and industry. There are also beautiful natural attractions that have been recognized as world heritage sites. Tourism within the province is therefore popular as ecotourism. Products within the province are agricultural products and local handicrafts, which are the unique characteristics of the province. From the province's diverse potential, the provincial governor is determined to develop the city to be a smart city under the name “Nakhon Ratchasima Smart City Innovative & Sufficient Town”. A short name is “Korat Smart City”. The objective of this project is to design a “smart city” to be an energy-saving, environmentally friendly city towards the dimension of sustainable development. There is a model of urban development as a Green Value Chain, integrating urban planning to support each other on the infrastructure of smart technology. This model is also a new answer to successful urban development that is self-sufficient. Therefore, the area populations should have a good quality of life. However, the development of smart cities requires cooperation and knowledge from many sectors, including the government, the private sector, and educational institutions.