July 17,2025…This event seeks to educate all types of tourists on the many places available to visit. With many provinces having a harder time gaining recognition they are often overlooked by tourists.
In response to this, the city showcase allows each province to promote their strengths and advocate the reasons as to why you should visit. Nakhornrachasima and Sisaket have been crowned the winner of this event. With Khon Kaen coming in second.
City Showcase 2025, has been developed in collaboration between Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Thailand Creative Culture Agency (TCCA). The first round started with 51 provinces, the list below discusses the final 12 contestants.
Nakhornrachasima also known as Ko Rat discussed their K-Battle festival which has been running since 2009. This festival allows youths to compete in many different disciplines including art, music, dance and sports. Their mission is to encourage the developments of these talents within their people, giving them a platform to display their abilities. This also leads to what they call “colour the city” making the province more vivid and lively hosting more characteristics within it that will in turn help connect and open up Ko Rat to the world.
Sisaket has created a festival known as “Sound of Sisaket” this is a fusion between traditional and modern music as they are known for having an abundance of indie musicians and artists. Eight years ago, the province was the poorest in Thailand which led them to rise up and create change by making their talents known.
This required motivation at the forefront of their mindset. The turnaround demonstrates their skills for such an impactful comeback.
Khon Kaen is known for their silk and “Mor lam” which is a traditional genre of music with its origins being rooted in the northeastern parts of Thailand. With silk being a huge statement in traditional Thai clothing these factors have created a basis for wider reach for those interested in the origins and traditional ways of producing such goods.
Kanchanaburi aims to be the Hollywood of Asia with many countries such as the USA using their grounds as filming locations, due to their diverse scenery. For easy access to the province a newly built motorway connecting it to Bangkok has made it convenient for film crews to reach. The money made from this business allows the community to flourish with money reaching local communities resulting in Kanchanaburi becoming more developed.
Chanthaburi presented their project known as “Fruitpital” with the intention to promote authentic Thai fruits in a more effective manner. They are renowned for their abundance of traditional fruits but as a result of poor marketing techniques they had been unable to reach their full potential. With the implementation on “Fruitpital” and their partnerships with provinces such as Rayong and Trat they strive for great success in the future with Thai fruits gaining the recognition they deserve.
Chiang Rai introduced their project called “Chiang Rai Brew” they are currently known for their tea and coffee however the province is not limited to just these drinks and are capable of producing other delicious beverages too. They seek to gain more recognition inviting people to try their other drinks as well. With such a diverse range of drinks they aim to attract more possibilities in partnership and marketing for them.
Phitsanoulok has created a light and sound show retelling the story of past battles with an emphasis on peace. With morals and traditional values as the driving point they aim to promote tourism by teaching those interested the art of sword fighting allowing tourists to delve into their culture. This adds another layer to the experience making their culture more tangible.
Phetchaburi has a festival named “Phanakorn-Meaungphet” that occurs every year and lasts for 10 nights, it is a festival which combines culture and food showing off the natural landscape of the mountain and the gorgeous and historical palace that resides on top. The province has been recognised by UNESCO as a “Creative City of Gastronomy”. With a numerous variety of dishes and cuisines there is bound to be something for everyone leading to an inclusive experience.
Phrae brings forward their philosophy called “BAAN” which is an acronym for Balance of Authenticity and Artistry within Nature. Their creations have travelled all over the country with little recognition such as their wooden furniture but making its way into the homes of many. They seek acknowledgement for their creations and traditions in many departments such as fabrics, wooden crafts, food, drinks, tribes, superstitions and a variety of crafts. This proves the diversity of their skills and creates a clearer image of their province leading those interested to visit.
Loei brings forth their cultural “Loei Mask Festival” featuring a masked parade starring their historic beliefs of ghosts as seen in their costumes. It is a carefully crafted event blending together art and culture. This allows visitors to the events, especially tourists to see ghosts in a new light and the significance it has on certain communities.
Sukhothai presents their project known as “Sukhothai Happiness Festival” this is the gathering of many different strengths and abilities the province has to offer and creating an event where each can be showcased. By coming together to exhibit their many capabilities leads to easy access for visitors to get the most out of their visit. As a World Heritage this can add to their marketing encouraging more attendees to what they hope to be a 1 month long festival.
Ubon Ratchathani has received fame from their “Candle Festival” which displays the intricate designs carved into candles. Due to the event having been considered short, lasting only 2 days, they plan to increase the length to over 100 days. This will allow tourists to see the carving process and attend workshops relating to candle carving immersing them into the craft with hands on experience. Providing them with both knowledge of the process and the history of it all the way to making their own creation alongside the experts.
