Despite Thailand losing out on the hosting rights, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew extended gratitude to everyone who supported Phuket’s quest to host the World Specialized Expo in 2027/28. Belgrade, Serbia was named the winner during the 172nd general meeting of the event’s organizer, the Bureau International des Expositions, which took place in Paris.
In a Facebook post, Governor Narong addressed the public and said…
“Team Thailand expresses its sincere gratitude to all parties participating in this remarkable bidding process. Your steadfast support and tireless work have helped to shape this amazing adventure.He went on to emphasize that Phuket is still a welcoming location for tourists from all over the world, urging them to take in its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and warm hospitality.In a later statement, Governor Narong reflected on Team Thailand’s efforts and the lessons discovered from their inability to win the hosting rights at the Phuket Expo.
The Phuket mayor also lauded the unity among locals and the public and corporate sectors involved in the bid process and stated his optimism for future bids to host major events.
Insufficient support from the government has frequently been cited as the reason Thailand has previously been unsuccessful in obtaining the hosting rights for international expos. In contrast, the Thai government set aside a sizable budget for the Phuket Expo of US$4.18 billion and launched a comprehensive public awareness campaign. More than 5 million people were expected to attend, the event was expected to bring in up to 50 billion baht in economic value, and more than 113,000 jobs were expected to be created on the island.
The final presentation and voting for Team Thailand took place in Paris, France, and events were conducted all across Phuket, including one hosted by the three Vice Governors at Dibuka Cafe & Restaurant in Phuket Old Town. Despite the outcome of the Phuket Expo bid, the supporters’ spirits remained upbeat and optimistic about the future.
