Agriculture Minister Defends Udon Thani Expo's Economic Value
The user wants a short summary of the article about the Agriculture Minister defending the Udon Thani Expo's economic value. I need to follow the rules: 1-2 sentences, 120-220 characters, max 240, English only, no filler, lead with what hap
At 09:50 on October 27 at Government House, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Warawut Khaokham, in his capacity as Udon Thani MP, gave an interview on the progress of the Udon Thani World Horticultural Expo 2026. He said that two weeks ago he inspected the site and found 90% progress, but recently confirmed with provincial officials that it is now nearly 100% complete, with a final inspection of the site and systems scheduled for October 30.
When asked about criticism that the expo budget is not cost-effective, Minister Warawut, of the Pheu Thai Party, clarified that he is not directly responsible but received a report from the Department of Agriculture stating the budget increase follows recommendations from the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), the body that granted Thailand the right to host the expo. AIPH representatives visited in December 2025 when progress was at 40% and assessed that the project did not yet meet the standards required of a host. The Expo Organizing Committee therefore resolved to increase the budget by 10%, or 250 million baht, of the total 2.5 billion baht budget.
Minister Warawut affirmed that the Udon Thani Expo will distribute economic opportunities, create a conservation tourism destination building on existing natural attractions, and will be the world's first horticultural expo held on a biodiverse wetland area, similar to the successful Chiang Mai Expo that generated broad and long-term economic value.
Projections estimate 3.6 million visitors, stimulating local spending and generating regional income, with hotels fully booked as far as Nong Khai province. The expo is expected to contribute over 20 billion baht to GDP, create more than 81,000 jobs across related businesses, industries, and service sectors including hotels, restaurants, and public transport, and yield over 7.7 billion baht in tax revenue.
The minister added that the expo will enhance Thailand's image and reputation as a tourism destination and agricultural leader, increase green space for Udon Thani and upper Isan, and drive infrastructure development and quality of life improvements to accommodate the massive influx of tourists. He also revealed post-expo plans: the Ministry of Agriculture intends to develop the site into a center for international exhibitions showcasing agricultural products and innovations, and a permanent public park serving as a conservation tourism hub for the Mekong sub-region, supporting Udon Thani's restoration efforts.
