DIGITAL ECONOMY AND INTELLIGENT CITY DEVELOPMENT IN THAILAND

Abstract

This academic article examined the impact of digital economy policies on smart city development in Thailand, focusing on the interconnections between economic policies, digital policies, and smart city policies. The study employed a literature review methodology using official documents and academic research. The research presented eight key knowledge contributions: 1. Systemic interconnectedness, where digital economy policy serves as a bridge connecting economic policy (investment framework), digital policy (technology mechanism), and smart city policy (quality of life development goals). 2. Comprehensive data integration through urban data platforms that consolidate information from all three dimensions to support decision-making. 3. Citizen-centered development, shifting from technology-focused approaches to community-responsive solutions addressing economic, social, and environmental dimensions. 4. Digital skills development requiring cross-policy collaboration across education, workforce, and digital economy policies. 5. Cybersecurity and personal data protection as critical factors for sustainable implementation of all three policy areas. 6. International cooperation in knowledge and technology exchange, including adoption of global standards. 7. Systematic evaluation and monitoring using balanced indicators that reflect success across all three policy domains. 8. Local contextualization, adapting policies to regional economic, social, and cultural contexts rather than directly adopting foreign models. These knowledge contributions provided valuable insights for academics, policymakers, and practitioners in developing sustainable and effective smart cities, particularly in understanding the systemic relationships between various policies and their application within the Thai context.