Thailand’s military junta, also known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) came into power after a coup in 2014. Since then, it – under the leadership of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha – has received both criticism and praise from people inside and outside the country.

Smart grids are set to take Southeast Asia by storm. According to a 2018 report by Telcoms and Computing Market Reports, the smart grid market in the region has continually grown and demonstrated significant benefits to consumers and large-scale vendors.The increasing number of people gaining access to electricity in member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has prompted respective governments to look into smart grids deployment.

The coastal city of Danang in Vietnam, is famed for its white sandy beaches and idyllic resorts and is Vietnam’s fifth largest city. Home to more than a million residents, the city is rapidly urbanising and its population is set to more than double to 2.5 million by 2030.Danang joins 25 other pilot cities from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as part of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN).

Indonesia is one of the largest countries in the world in terms of both, land area and population. Over the past five years, Indonesia’s urban population has increased by 53.5 percent, more than half of the country’s total population, according to Statistics Indonesia.

Hanoi is a city rich in history and culture that has been occupied by foreign forces in the past. From being ruled by ancient Chinese dynasties and the French in the 19th century to surviving a war with the United States (US). Because of its chequered past, the city has unique characteristics – its buildings and food are influenced by the French while its culture has been influenced by the Chinese.Today, Hanoi is undergoing another major transformation.

Rapid urbanisation is fuelling growth in Southeast Asia. The region’s urban areas are currently home to one third of its population and contributes to more than two thirds of its collective gross domestic product (GDP).

The island of Phuket, known for its idyllic sandy beaches and pristine blue seawater is probably on the bucket list of most travellers. Ranked as the sixth most popular tourist destination in the Asia Pacific region by Mastercard’s Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2017, the island’s tourism backbone is set to change for the better with the wide-scale incorporation of technology.Phuket has been touted as Thailand’s first ever smart city – even surpassing the capital, Bangkok.

The capital of the Philippines; Manila is the world’s most densely populated city with 42,857 people per square kilometre. The Metro Manila population is estimated at 12 million, but the larger urban area has a population of approximately 21.3 million. As such, traffic congestion in Manila is notorious with a report by Waze revealing that drivers in the capital are the most dissatisfied in the world after the Dominican Republic and El Salvador.

The Indonesian capital of Jakarta is known worldwide for its luxury hotels, malls, antiques along Jalan Surabaya and various national and historical monuments – just to name a few.

As a primate city, Bangkok – Thailand’s largest city – is the foremost potential smart city in the country. It was recently inducted into the first cohort of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) in Singapore last April. Thailand has taken positive steps towards realising a digital economy and the development of smart cities is a priority.