Happiness social city to be developed in Thai East

BANGKOK, January 10 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, plans to develop a vast vacant area in the Thai East to be a modeled happiness social city, the first of its kind in the country, in which the "universal design" architecture will be applied to be usable and accessible to people of all groups and ages. Social Development and Human Security Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat announced the plan at a press conference in Bangkok on January 9, saying that a feasibility study is being conducted before other steps can be followed. General Anantaporn stated that his ministry's happiness social city project has been planned to be developed on a vast 667 rai-plot of land (2.5 rai = 1 acre) in Bang Lamung area in eastern seaside Chon Buri Province to become a modeled comprehensive social service center for people of all ages and groups, thanks to its multi-functional zones. General Anantaporn acknowledged that the planned happiness social city will be developed in the form of a grand center club house with comprehensive facilities, including the zones of residential area, a senior complex, a medical center, a training center, a vocational support center, a physical exercise center and other functional rooms. The minister explained that based on the "universal design" concept, the elderly in the senior complex can also access to all other areas and services in the modeled happiness social city once it is opened. According to the minister, the happiness social city project will be utilized for the maximum benefit for the public in both social welfare and commercial dimensions in order to raise the quality of life of people. The minister invited the private sector to jointly invest in the project to save part of the state budget to be spent, instead, on other development plans for people in targeted groups and the general public. (TNA)