As part of the Urban Innovation and Sustainability Workshop Course (ED92.04), offered under the Faculty of Climate Change and Sustainability (FCCS) at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), a group of 23 students from different nationalities and areas of specialization participated in two field workshops in Saen Suk Municipality, Chonburi Province, Thailand, during February and March 2026.
Under the guidance of Prof. Vilas Nitivattananon and Dr. Malay Pramanik, the workshops applied a multi-scale, multi-sector, and multi-stakeholder approach to equip students with hands-on experience in identifying urban challenges, engaging stakeholders, and co-developing solutions for sustainable and innovative urban development.
The first phase introduced students to the governance, infrastructure, and environmental conditions of Saen Suk Municipality. An opening session at the Saen Suk Municipal Office provided an overview of the municipality’s development strategies, followed by a session at Burapha University on geo-informatics related to coastal resources and land use. Students also met with the Office of the Permanent Secretary to learn about traffic and transportation management, the Tourist Service Center to discuss infrastructure and parking services, and the Saen Suk Police Station to understand public safety and traffic enforcement. At Bang Saen Beach, they interviewed tourists and local business owners to gather firsthand perspectives on facilities, infrastructure, and local perception.
Further visits included the Marine and Coastal Resources Office for data on coastal erosion and flooding, ecosystem health, and waste; the Chon Buri Provincial Tourism and Sport Office on tourism infrastructure planning; the Chon Buri Provincial Transport Office on public transportation systems; the Chon Buri 2 Highway District on intercity congestion; a local waste separation shop on informal recycling networks; and the Natural Resources and Environment Protection Foundation on social programs for women, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and migrant workers.
The second phase began with a visit to AMATA City, an industrial township in Chonburi, where students observed eco-innovation initiatives and sustainability practices in a large-scale industrial setting. Students then returned to Saen Suk Municipality for targeted stakeholder meetings organized around their three research group themes: innovative growth, innovative greening, and innovative governance. These covered waste management systems, wastewater treatment facilities, sanitation and public health policies, transportation and tourism infrastructure, resilience planning, and budget priorities, including different site visits to both natural and anthropogenic services.
Field investigations and local stakeholder engagement further enriched the learning. Students visited the Mangrove Forest Conservation and Nature Study Center, Bang Saen Heritage Hotel, Laem Thaen Park for public space management, and Wonnapha Beach for coastal management and local economic assessment. Community meetings with the Khao Sam Mook Community Enterprise, the Wongpanit Recycle Shop, a village health volunteer at Wat Saen Suk, and the municipal enforcement unit provided grounded perspectives on waste networks, environmental health, community resilience, and local governance. In addition, Burapha University’s Department of Aquatic Science and Marine Science Institute contributed scientific data on coastal water quality, marine ecology and pollution, and marine tourism trends.
The field workshops culminated in group presentations at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Burapha University, on March 18, 2026, attended by more than 30 university students. Each group synthesized their analysis findings and proposed pilot projects and actionable strategies for the municipality. Recommended solutions focused on coastal waste and wastewater management, sustainable tourism enterprises and services, local transportation facilities, nature-based coastal resilience, and inclusive community governance. The experience reinforced the value of the experiential learning as a bridge between academic knowledge and real-world urban problem-solving.
Gratitude is extended to faculty and staff members, AIT’s Faculty of Climate Change and Sustainability (FCCS), Burapha University, Saen Suk Municipality, and all local partners, government agencies, community organizations, and academic collaborators who contributed to making these field workshops an inspiring learning and way forward experience.
