In Phuket, a new generation of local families is reimagining the island’s future through ambitious smart-city developments that aim to balance innovation, sustainability, and community.
When we think of the term “smart city”, places like Singapore, Amsterdam, or Zürich often come to mind – urban centres where thoughtful planning, technology, and sustainability converge to create environments that genuinely enhance everyday life. Yet far from these established examples, a quieter transformation is beginning to unfold in Southern Thailand. On the island of Phuket, long known primarily as a tourism powerhouse, a new generation of developers and local families is exploring how the concept of a smart city might reshape the island’s future.
For decades, Phuket’s economy has been anchored in tourism. But as the island’s population grows and international residents continue to arrive – from digital nomads to ultra-high-net-worth migrants seeking a tropical base – the challenges of congestion, infrastructure strain, and environmental management have become increasingly visible. In response, several ambitious projects are attempting to rethink how the island develops in the decades ahead. Among the most notable are Synthesis Ark Phuket and Phuket Tinicon Valley, two initiatives led by local families with deep historical ties to the island.
15-MINUTE NEIGHBOURHOOD
One of the most significant developments currently underway is Synthesis Ark Phuket, a 491-rai integrated mixed-use project located along Thepkrasattri Road in Sri Sunthon, Thalang – a strategic corridor connecting Phuket International Airport with Phuket Town.
The land itself carries a long history. The Vanich family first established their business on this site in 1947, operating tin mining activities that formed part of Phuket’s early industrial economy. By the late 1980s, the land had been transformed into an oil palm plantation supporting the family’s agricultural enterprise, now known through the publicly listed Univanich Palm Oil business. Nearly four decades later, that same land is entering a third chapter.
Kalayarat “Eve” Vanich, a director of the project, explains, “Our family has used this land for generations – first for mining, and later for growing palm trees as part of our family business.” In recent years, however, we began to realise that such a beautiful piece of land holds so much more potential. We’ve seen many investors from Bangkok and overseas coming into Phuket, and it’s made us think that as a local family we should also create something meaningful here.”
Valued at more than 50 billion Baht, the development aims to create a new urban district built around a “15-minute neighbourhood” concept, an increasingly influential planning philosophy that clusters daily necessities within walking distance.The master plan, developed in collaboration with Singapore-based architecture firm RSP, took more than a year of intensive design discussions.
“I personally love walking and spending time in nature,” Eve remarks, “but in Phuket it’s often difficult to find places where everything is connected. Things tend to be quite scattered, and with traffic increasing every year, getting around is becoming more challenging. That’s why we wanted to create a place where everything people need can be within one walkable area.”
The project’s first phase, known as NEXUS, will occupy around 30 rai of land along Thepkrasattri Road and is expected to open in 2028. With an investment of roughly 2–3 billion Baht, the complex will include a five-storey office building with more than 10,000 square metres of workspace, a 70-room international hotel, retail and lifestyle spaces, and a wellness and aesthetic centre.
Future phases will expand into residential districts featuring condominiums, villas, and housing estates developed in collaboration with listed Bangkok developers, as well as educational institutions, hospitality facilities, and a large retail complex operated by an internationally recognised Thai brand. More than 20 percent of the site will remain dedicated to green areas and lakes, reflecting the project’s ‘Eco-Spectrum Living’ philosophy.
“Today people are looking for more than just a place to live,” Eve explains. “They want balance, sustainability, connection, and convenience. The master plan is anchored in the idea of living with purpose and ease.”
Beyond lifestyle aspirations, the project is also intended to support Phuket’s economic diversification. “We hope developments like this can help elevate Phuket from being only a tourism destination,” she adds, “to becoming a place where people from around the world choose to live, work, and build their future.”
INSPIRED BY HISTORY
Across the island, another local family is pursuing a similarly ambitious vision as Montavee “Tommy” Hongsyok, Deputy Managing Director of the long-established Anuphas & Sons group, is spearheading Phuket Tinicon Valley, widely regarded as the island’s first privately initiated smart city project. Like the Vanich family, the Hongsyoks trace their Phuket roots back more than a century to the tin mining era that shaped much of the island’s early prosperity. That history even inspired the project’s name.
As Tommy explains, “I wanted to play on the word “tin” and the term “Silicon Valley”, with tin referring to the mining heritage of both my family and Phuket.”
The Tinicon Valley project seeks to transform land west of Phuket Town into a modern urban district centred around innovation, education, and lifestyle infrastructure. Its vision reflects a broader ambition: to help shift Phuket’s economic model beyond tourism.
“While tourism generates significant income, it also creates congestion and pressure on infrastructure,” Tommy points out. “We need to welcome new industries such as digital, technology, health, and education to create diverse, high-value income sources.”
The development is organised into three primary zones. The Innovation and Edutainment Hub will host universities and international schools alongside lifestyle amenities, while the Lifestyle Workplace and Convention Centre zone is designed to attract entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and international conferences, strengthening Phuket’s position as a regional business hub. Meanwhile, a third zone will remain dedicated to natural outdoor space, preserving more than half the land as green areas that improve air quality and support biodiversity.
For Tommy, however, technology alone does not define a smart city.
“At the very basic level, a smart city uses digital technology to operate efficiently and keep everyone safe,” he says. “But the real success of a smart city relies on the cooperation of its community.”
In practice, that philosophy has translated into numerous initiatives – from underground infrastructure wiring and universal-design pedestrian crossings, to systems that support green energy adoption, water management, and improved urban mobility.
The project has already gained recognition, winning the Smart City Award in the ‘Modern New City’ category at the Thailand Smart City Expo 2025.
BUILDING THE FUTURE
While the two projects differ in scale and focus, both share a common ambition: to redefine how Phuket evolves in the decades ahead. Crucially, both initiatives are led not by outside developers but by local families whose histories are intertwined with the island itself. That perspective may prove essential as Phuket navigates the delicate balance between growth and sustainability.
“If we don’t give the next generation a reason to stay and invest their lives here,” Tommy reflects, “who can blame them for wanting to leave?”
For Eve Vanich, the motivation is similarly rooted in legacy.
“Synthesis Ark aims to create a place where people can enjoy a more balanced and healthier lifestyle – where nature and modern living exist in harmony,” she says. “It’s about creating something meaningful for Phuket and for the generations who will live here in the future.”
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Mika Apichatsakol
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Prestige, 31.0.2026
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
