Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced his support for Phuket’s bid to host an international expo in 2028, noting that the mega event has the potential to generate as much as 40 billion baht in revenue for Thailand.
The bid, known as Phuket Expo 2028, would see the event take place from March 20 to June 17 2028 in Thalang district, under the theme “Future of Life: Living in Harmony, Sharing Prosperity”.
According to the premier, the 2028 Expo event will bring economic benefits and showcase Thailand as a multi-industry hub for aviation, tourism and health.
Thailand is competing against the United States, Argentina, Serbia and Spain to host the mega event. The kingdom will have the opportunity to showcase its bid to the 171 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) during its gathering in June. State agencies will meet this week to further discuss the proposal and presentation.
If Thailand’s bid is successful, the expo is expected to add 39.3 billion baht to the country’s GDP in 2028, create over 113,439 jobs and generate an additional 9.51 billion baht in tax receipts.
The prime minister traveled to the southern province on March 19 to present his “Andaman Ready” vision, which included a demonstration of making the traditional ar pong dish, a new tourist route in Koh Phra Thong, a mangrove forest ecology study and activities to boost sustainable local incomes. (NNT)
