The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has activated emergency remedial measures to salvage the southern business events economy following disaster-level flooding in Hat Yai district in late November.
As Hat Yai is the commercial hub of Songkhla – an economic centre of the south, and also one of Thailand’s 10 designated MICE Cities since 2020 – the inundation has stalled the region’s high season.
During the height of the floods from November 21 to 27, local and international media reported thousands of foreign leisure and corporate visitors stranded in Hat Yai, with TCEB coordinating the evacuation of 15 Malaysian business events travellers attached to organised programmes.
At the end of November, TCEB activated emergency assistance measures, opening an internal donation account to support affected communities. TCEB’s Southern Office task force also conducted on-site business events industry impact assessments.
The bureau’s initial survey shows the deluge in late November forced the cancellation of one major domestic event with 1,200 participants and the postponement of three others involving 11,400 delegates.
“TCEB estimates the initial economic damage to the local meetings sector at between 120 and 150 million baht (US$3.8 to US$4.1 million),” noted TCEB president Supawan Teerarat.
“The figures reflect lost revenue across hotels, restaurants, transportation and related services, as well as disruptions to the MICE calendar and market confidence among national and international organisers,” she added.
With major roads in Hat Yai now reopened, TCEB has coordinated with convention centres, hotels, and venues to begin inspection and restoration of electrical systems, air-conditioning, and technical infrastructure.
Major venues including the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne International Convention Center, and The Signature Convention Center, did not sustain structural damage and are ready to operate once safety systems are fully verified.
Simultaneously, 15 flood-affected MICE hotels comprising 10,000m² of meeting space are undergoing rapid restoration.
Supawan told TTGmice the immediate priority is retaining confirmed business on the books for the fiscal year.
“Our strategy is to sustain momentum by urging organisers to postpone rather than cancel, ensuring the region’s economic engine keeps turning,” Supawan said.
Under the upcoming Southern MICE Ready campaign, to be deployed this month, TCEB is rolling out three core strategies titled “Ease Up, Empower, and Enhance”, to stimulate event activity and strengthen the regional business events ecosystem across 10 flood-affected provinces: Surat Thani, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Phatthalung, Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
Postponed events are being encouraged to reschedule between November 2025 and September 2026. They will be supported by dedicated funding packages tailored for the southern region with easier application processes and reduced criteria for support.
Under the Ease Up strategy, TCEB aims to accelerate the resumption of business events activities by offering more flexible support conditions and operational facilitation for organisers hosting events during this phase.
To stimulate immediate demand, TCEB will also promote the decentralisation of business events from Bangkok and introduction of new events to the southern regions, organising familiarisation trips for target clients to stimulate local economies under the Empower strategy. In parallel, the bureau will also deploy proactive communication to restore market confidence in the readiness of southern destinations.
Meanwhile, the Enhance strategy will fund capacity building to ensure service quality and venue standards remain competitive despite the disruption.
Supawan noted: “As Songkhla is a designated MICE City, TCEB is committed to restoring its role as one of the major MICE hubs of the south through industry revitalisation, local business empowerment, and the development of a strong MICE ecosystem across Songkhla and other high-potential southern provinces.”
