THAILAND’s public and private sectors are being encouraged to join forces to help bring Expo 2028 to Phuket.
The kingdom is one of five countries bidding the host the event with the winner set to be announced in June. The other nations are the United States, Serbia, Spain and Argentina.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul, held a formal meeting with business leaders at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre to discuss collaboration.
Ideas were exchanged on implementing a team-based approach through the private sector’s overseas business networks to secure votes from the 171 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions, which organises the World Expo.
Backgrounder… Thailand bids to host World Expo in Phuket
Among the ideas was a joint public relations effort to generate mass support among the Thai public. Representatives from Thailand’s Board of Trade and the Thai Bankers’ Association attended. Business associations and organisations representing energy, hospitals, hotels, airlines, retail and beverages were also represented.
Deputy prime minister Charnvirakul, who also chairs the Thailand Candidature Committee for the Expo 2028 Phuket Thailand, said a 4.18 billion baht (about US$120m) budget has been approved by the cabinet to support the bid.
Thailand’s case for hosting Expo 2028 was later put at the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris on February 22, where Phuket’s sustainability credentials were presented.
If the bid is successful, the Phuket Expo is expected to attract 4.9 million visitors from 106 countries, generating 49.2 billion baht in revenue and adding 39.3 billion baht in value to Thailand’s GDP.
Other benefits include enhancing Phuket City’s development and provinces in the Andaman cluster of Krabi, Trang, Phang Nga, Phuket, Ranong, and Surat Thani. Thailand’s medical tourism industry is also expected to benefit.
