BANGKOK, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Thailand is set to open the Udon Thani International Horticultural Expo 2026 on Nov. 1, staging a horticultural exhibition built on a natural wetland while targeting over 32 billion baht (about 952 million U.S. dollars) in economic circulation.
Running for 134 days through March 14, 2027, the exposition spans 1,030 rai (about 164.8 hectares) at the Nong Dae wetland in northeastern Udon Thani province.
Endorsed by the International Association of Horticultural Producers, it is the first such expo held in Thailand's northeastern Isan region and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
Government projections estimate the event will contribute over 20 billion baht to the Southeast Asian country's gross domestic product, generate 7.7 billion baht in tax revenue, and create over 81,000 jobs.
Thailand previously hosted two editions of the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek expo in the northern Chiang Mai province in 2006 and 2011, which generated a combined 39 billion baht.
Supawan Teerarat, president of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, which served as the official national bidder, said the expo is designed to establish Udon Thani as an agro-innovation and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) hub for the Mekong corridor.
"The success of such a mega-event is measured not solely by gate attendance but by its lasting legacy for local businesses, citizens, and adjacent agricultural sectors," Supawan said at the launch event, noting that the agency will facilitate business-to-business matchmaking between local enterprises and international delegates.
The exhibition site will be divided into six zones featuring vernacular Isan architecture engineered with sustainable, temporary structures.
Following its conclusion in March 2027, the 164.8-hectare site will be converted into four permanent public facilities: a GMS cultural and silk museum, a biodiversity and fisheries research center, a glasshouse plant conservation institute, and a public park and water sports complex. ■
