The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has expanded its national network from 10 to 16 certified MICE cities under the 2026 MICE City: 16 Destinations initiative to drive business events nationwide.
The newly-designated hubs – Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani, Rayong, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Hua Hin-Cha-am – were evaluated alongside the Ministry of Interior, trade associations, and academic institutions across eight core criteria covering accessibility, venue standards, safety, support, and city reputation. Existing MICE Cities Surat Thani, Phitsanulok, and Udon Thani also earned certification renewals.
TCEB president Supawan Teerarat noted the expansion adopts international best practices seen across Europe, China, Japan, and South Korea.
“We have evaluated our original 10 MICE Cities for some time, and the track record proves that designating MICE Cities elevates local destinations, drives convention centre listings, and delivers tangible economic contributions to provincial ecosystems. The more readiness we build across our destinations, the better we can promote Thailand globally, giving equal opportunity to cities that are more than ready to host.”
The expansion establishes distinct “Destination DNA” to match with specific events. Chiang Rai offers northern cultural identity alongside cross-border trade links into China, while Rayong leverages the manufacturing clusters of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) to target specialised industrial B2B tradeshows.
Ubon Ratchathani serves as a gateway to Laos and Vietnam, and Krabi expands the Andaman cluster alongside Phuket with its international airport. Nakhon Si Thammarat contributes emerging industrial and cultural strength, while Hua Hin-Cha-am combines the dual-coastal venue capacity of two neighbouring resort areas.
“As a national bidder, we don’t want every event to be only in Bangkok or the central part of Thailand. Additionally, we want to map each event to the city’s unique DNA, including the different strategies from their government or the policies in each region,” Supawan emphasised.
The six new cities will undergo capacity-building workshops with local governments and private sector leaders to elevate venue standards. TCEB also plans to route domestic events to these destinations first before steering international conventions, supported by up to 200 per cent corporate tax deductions for hosting events in certified MICE Cities.
Moving ahead in 2027, TCEB will review primary hubs Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Khon Kaen while introducing tailored “By Type” assessment criteria to reflect specific destination strengths.
In closing, Supawan stressed: “At the moment, the challenge for every country is that we have to create richer experiences around the product itself. Otherwise, delegates, travellers, and event organisers will select another country. Therefore, we must build a strong ‘column’ of destinations in Thailand as a foundation.”
