Multi-billion-baht Digital Innovation Park for Chon Buri

Multi-billion-baht Digital Innovation Park for Chon Buri

CAT Telecom director Surapant Meknavin, left, and IEAT governor Verapong Chaiperm show  signed copies of the memorandum of understanding for the development of the Digital Innovation Park, or
CAT Telecom director Surapant Meknavin, left, and IEAT governor Verapong Chaiperm show signed copies of the memorandum of understanding for the development of the Digital Innovation Park, or "smart metropolis", in Bangkok on Monday. (Photo by Pattarachai Preechapanich)

CAT Telecom and the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) plan to open a 600-rai Digital Innovation Park at a cost of 10 billion baht in Si Racha district, Chon Buri, by the end of 2018.

Representatives of the two agencies signed a memorandum of understanding at CAT's office in Bang Rak district, Bangkok, on Monday for the development of the park.

IEAT governor Verapong Chaiperm said Si Racha district was selected because it had potential to connect to international telecommunications networks, was designated a part of the East's special economic zone and included in the government's promotion of 10 industrial clusters  - including automotive, petrochemical, digital and medical.

It was close to a port, an airport, a railway, highways and a CAT telecommunication cable station, he said.

"The Digital Innovation Park will be a big smart metropolis," Mr Verapong said.

CAT Telecom director Surapant Meknavin said there would be servers, research and development facilities and Thai technological start-ups.

A feasibility study of the project would be concluded next March and in mid-2017 CAT Telecom would launch road shows inviting international technology companies to invest in the park, he said.

CAT Telecom would develop digital infrastructure there - optical fibre links, cloud computing systems, a data centre, and internet gateways. He expected CAT Telecom's investment in the project to be 10 billion baht.

The IEAT would arrange industrial facilities and investment incentives for investors.

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