Thailand Launches Smart City Solutions Awards 2026 with 18 Finalists

The DE and depa organized the Smart City Solutions Awards 2026 – Final Pitching Day to present the 18 finalist projects selected from 51 submissions, seeking digital solutions that can genuinely develop urban areas and enhance public services while serving as replicable models for cities and localities across the country. Deputy Minister Nan Bunthida Somchai stated that the highest aim of smart‑city development is to enable residents to live as conveniently as possible, stressing that a smart city is not defined by its budget but by its determination to achieve the best outcomes for its people. She noted that the awards showcase the work of cities that have reached the finals, all of which genuinely improve residents’ quality of life. Dr Suppakon Sitthichai, acting head of depa, said smart‑city advancement does not begin with technology alone but arises from cooperation among all sectors. He reported that Thailand currently has 37 cities awarded the national smart‑city symbol in 25 provinces and 212 smart‑city promotion zones in 63 provinces, and that depa aims to expand the initiative to more than 7,800 local administrative organizations nationwide to ensure continuous application of digital solutions tailored to local needs. The 18 finalists are divided into five categories: Smart Living (7 projects), Smart Governance (6), Smart Environment (2), Smart Energy (2), and Smart Mobility (1). Award‑winning examples include the 1669 Smart Call system for Suphan, the Smart Citizen Service Ecosystem, an intelligent water‑supply system to reduce losses, smart solar energy solutions, and the Bussing Smart Mobility Platform. Depa views the awards not merely as a contest but as a mechanism to discover and disseminate real‑world digital‑technology models that other cities and localities can adapt and further develop according to their own contexts.