On December 16, 2019 at Wittayawipas Building, the Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, the seminar based on an MOU entitled Khon Kaen Smart Living Lab” was held for brainstorming to move Khon Kaen towards Khon Kaen Smart City. Dr. Somsak Jangtrakul, Khon Kaen Governor, presided over the seminar; Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul (M.D.), President of Khon Kaen University; Mr. Teerasak Teekayupan, Mayor of Khon Kaen; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rina Patramanon, project leader from the Faculty of Science; and 100 people from both public and private organizations participated in the seminar.
The objective of the seminar held under (MOU) Khon Kaen Smart Living Lab 2019 complying with the 20-Year National Strategy development plan was to get some ideas from different sectors for moving Khon Kaen towards Khon Kaen Smart City. Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, signed MOU with 12 organizations on July 6-8,2018 at DIGITAL THAILAND BIG BANG REGIONAL 2018 for Smart City development and health care services under the project called SMART LIVING LAB” (SMART HEALTH & MEDICAL HUB). The project can help people in every area access to faster health care services that can be factors for the national development.
Dr. Somsak Jangtrakul said Smart Living Lab had been developed and accepted by many countries. It helped with the city development complying with the 20-Year National Strategy for better well-being of Thai people. In 2018, Smart Living Lab received an award from SAGARPA – an organization in Singapore especially evaluating Smart City. It was expected that in 2019 technology would be applied fully and properly for the concept of modern city where people could live happily with no worries about technology, facilities, and public health care services. Because there were more elderly people in society, this project needed to be continued.
Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul (M.D.) mentioned about Khon Kaen Smart Health and Medical Hub that Khon Kaen Smart Living Lab was a central organization which caused the collaboration among public sectors, private sectors, academic institutes, and people. Khon Kaen University played an important role in applying digital innovation for health care to the development for Smart City strategy and integration for the benefits of people. Innovation used in Smart Health and Medical Hub could provide faster and more precise services to patients. The system could collect necessary data regarding diseases and analyze the information. As a result, health care services would be accessible from wider areas. In fact, the collaboration between public as well as private sectors and people was a part that began this project.
Mr. Teerasak Teekayupan revealed that Khon Kaen was a lucky city because public health and technology network here was one of the strongest ones in Thailand. The networks was supported by people and made excellent medical innovation happen. People shouldn’t neglect their health care, and good health care provided by these networks could prevent the abuse of technology. Khon Kaen would therefore continue developing for the benefits of people.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rina Patramanon said Living Lab referred to a lab sited in community, that is, innovation was practically used with people in each community. Then the effectiveness could be seen. The innovation used in each area to solve problems practically would be beneficial to public and private sectors, academic institutes involving in the development policy, and people. The project team therefore aimed to develop public health care, well-being, and economy. The role of KKU was to create sustainability with the support from various sectors that led to more efficient collaboration.
Later, Dr. Somsak Jangtrakul and Dean of the Faculty of Science presented Long Term Care Digital Innovation card – the smart technology research on entire ecology of community which was supported by integrated budget 2019, KKU – to Mr. Teerasak Teekayupan receiving on behalf of Srinagarind Hospital and Director of Khon Kaen Hospital.
Then Dr. Somsak Jangtrakul, Khon Kaen Governor; Mr. Phonchai Homchuen, Assistant to Managing Director of DEPA; and Mr. Kitkamon Maitree, Chairman of Executive Board of Tely 360 Ltd., presented 500 A-life wristbands to Mr. Teerasak Teekayupan, Khon Kaen Mayor, on behalf of Director of Khon Kaen Hospital, Dr. Somchaichote Piyawatwela, a doctor of Khon Kaen Public Health, and Mr. Channarong Burittrakul, Managing Director of M-Society. Moreover, 300 wristbands were presented to Dr. Wisit Taweeprangseephon, Managing Director of Zensorium and Asst. Prof. Dr. Pipat Reungsang, Assistant to the President for Digital University Development.
The afternoon session for brainstorming ideas for approaches to conduct creative research with private sector was held at the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. The participants discussed the lesson learned from Manee project, led by Assoc. Prof. Chonlatip Pongsakul and supported by the Thailand Research Fund (2017-2019), and the project following up patients with depression called Mine Mind, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Sumonta Kasemwilat and supported by Medical Hub Department, Thailand Research Fund (2020-2022). Moreover, there were the presentation of how to utilize Self wristband of Zensorium (Thailand) Ltd. to check KKU administrators’ health by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patcharee Chiaranaikul, Dean of Associated Medical Sciences; Khon Kaen Smart Living Lab Platform with Self wristband and portable microalbumin tool kit of Zensorium (Thailand) Ltd. by a doctors specializing in chronic kidney disease, and Khon Kaen Smart Living Lab Platform with Self wristband of Zensorium (Thailand) Ltd. by doctors specializing in high blood pressure disease. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rina Patramanon was the moderator of the afternoon session.
Smart City under the 20-year National Strategy Development Plan has started since 2018 and included 7 places: Khon Kaen, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao, and Bangkok. With the support from 12 organaizations, namely DEPA, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Khon Kaen Province, Khon Kaen University, Mahasarakham University, Science Park KKU, National Health Security Office Region 7, Khon Kaen Hospital, Khonkaen Provincial Health Office, Khon Kaen Municipality, Health Tech Startup Thailand, NESBIA, and Khon Kaen Maker Club, Khon Kaen won the first prize of IDC SMART CITY ASIA PACIFIC AWARDS and also received PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES 2018 award. In this year, Khon Kaen Smart Living Lab (KKLL) will participate in United Nations Public Service Awards 2020.
News: Wanida Banyen
Photos/ edit: Wachara Noichompoo
[ Thai ]
