Held from July 17 to 20, 2025, the Global Coffee and Tea Association Forum 2025: Shaping the Future Together marked a major step in Chiang Rai’s business events development.
The forum, which took place at the Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort, attracted 211 delegates, comprising 165 Thai and 46 international participants from 11 territories. Attendees engaged in knowledge exchange, networking, and business development, including direct visits to local plantations and processing facilities.
The forum also included site visits to renowned tea and coffee plantations, such as Choui Fong Tea (Mae Chan), Wang Put Tan Tea (Doi Mae Salong), and Doi Chang Coffee (Mae Suai).
This forum, building on two prior international Tea and Coffee symposia, resulted from collaboration among the Tea and Coffee Institute of Mae Fah Luang University, Singha Park Chiang Rai Co., and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).
In addition, the Chiang Rai Brewtopia Green Season exhibition, held from July 18-20 at Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park, featured approximately 40 coffee and tea entrepreneurs. This event offered international delegates direct access to unique blends from local producers.
Puripan Bunnag, acting president of TCEB, noted Chiang Rai’s proven capacity as a secondary city for major business events. “MICE is a powerful driver for the local economy. The forum reinforced the city’s ambition as a destination for quality tea and coffee and supported its goal of becoming a centre for national and international tea and coffee festival events.
“TCEB’s strategy involves promoting cities with unique strengths to boost their global MICE competitiveness. Chiang Rai, with its tea and coffee heritage, exemplifies this approach, strengthening its position on the global MICE map.”
Chiang Rai entered ICCA’s global city rankings in 2024. The city recently hosted the Spring Meeting of the International Association of Horticultural Producers in February 2025, and will host the PATA Destination Marketing Forum this November.
