Amid significant changes in the manufacturing sector and global supply chains, driven by major megatrends such as increasingly stringent international environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements, the acceleration of digital technology and automation adoption, as well as the demands of multinational companies—especially in the New S-Curve industries aiming to create more flexible and interconnected manufacturing networks and supply chains—Thailand must enhance its infrastructure readiness to support future investments.

To strengthen Thailand's competitiveness as a destination for future-oriented industries, the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has collaborated with the industrial sector, including ARAYA – The Eastern Gateway, to elevate the standards of industrial estate infrastructure. One of the key collaborations is the promotion of the Smart Industrial Estate certification by IEAT, which the ARAYA industrial estate has successfully obtained. The certification was presented by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, along with executives from the Ministry of Industry, reflecting the cooperation between the public and private sectors to enhance the potential of the Thai industrial sector to international standards.

The certification from IEAT confirms the strength of the infrastructure and the readiness of the industrial estate to support the future manufacturing and supply chain industries. This enables ARAYA – The Eastern Gateway to attract operators from the high-value manufacturing and technology sectors, such as Infineon Technologies Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. from Germany and Doosan Corporation Electro-Materials BG from South Korea. Importantly, the certification also reflects Thailand's commitment to upgrading industrial infrastructure to meet the evolving demands of global investors, particularly in the New S-Curve industries and the rapidly expanding AI Supply Chain.

Mr. Sumet Tangprasert, Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), stated, "Smart Industrial Estates play a crucial role in enhancing Thailand's competitiveness and creating an investment ecosystem that aligns with the future direction of global industries, particularly the New S-Curve industries, which emphasize digital infrastructure, efficient energy use, and sustainable development. IEAT is pleased that the ARAYA project has been certified as a Smart Industrial Estate and is contributing to raising the standards of Thailand's industrial estates. IEAT is ready to continue supporting the development of Smart Industrial Estates to enhance the investment ecosystem and the country's long-term competitiveness."

Ms. Kamolkan Kongkathong, Managing Director of ARAYA Land Development Co., Ltd., remarked, "Global operators today are not just looking for space to set up factories; they seek reliable infrastructure, intelligent management systems, and an environment conducive to sustainable long-term growth. Developing the ARAYA industrial estate under the Smart Industrial Estate standards allows us to fully respond to the changing needs of investors by integrating technology and intelligent solutions into every aspect of operations to enhance service quality, improve management efficiency, and deliver operational excellence to our clients."

The ARAYA industrial estate has been developed under the 7 dimensions of Smart Industrial Estate defined by IEAT, which include Smart Facilities, Smart IT, Smart Energy, Smart Economy, Smart Good Corporate Governance, Smart Living, and Smart Workforce. This integrates digital technology, smart infrastructure, energy management systems, and environmental management into a comprehensive industrial ecosystem to meet the business operation needs and sustainability goals of modern manufacturing and advanced technology industries.

The core of the smart ecosystem within the ARAYA industrial estate is the Smart Intelligent Operations Center (Smart IOC), a central command center that connects all operational systems of the estate in real-time through a single platform. It gathers data from CCTV systems, information network systems, IoT sensors, fire detection systems, building management systems, and maintenance management systems to enable situation tracking, predictive data analysis, and efficient infrastructure management, thereby enhancing operational flexibility, improving safety, and ensuring business continuity for operators within the industrial estate.