Rice Department Hosts Thai Local Rice Fest Showcasing 15 GI Varieties
The Rice Department will hold the Thai Local Rice Fest #2 at Bangkok's Paradise Park on October 24-25, 2026, showcasing 15 geographical indication rice varieties from across Thailand. The festival features rice tastings, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs creating innovative dishes, cultural performances, and a marketplace for rice products. The event aims to raise public awareness of Thailand's diverse rice heritage and create market opportunities for farmers and rice entrepreneurs.
The Rice Department is advancing the promotion of Thai local rice by organizing the "Thai Local Rice Fest #2" to showcase the identity of rice from four regions, opening space for the public to experience 15 GI rice varieties alongside creative food menus. The event is scheduled for October 24-25, 2026 at Paradise Park in Bangkok to promote and publicize Thai local rice for wider recognition, while building awareness of the value, diversity, and identity of Thai rice from each locality through activities that blend rice knowledge, food culture, and contemporary menu creation.
This event is part of the 2026 project to promote and develop local identity agricultural products (rice), aiming to present the potential of Thai local rice from various provinces so the public can see its distinctiveness in terms of varieties, cultivation sources, and utilization forms, as well as to promote market opportunities for Thai rice products and goods.
One key highlight is the tasting activity for 15 GI rice varieties, giving participants the opportunity to experience the differences in rice from various localities — grain characteristics, aroma, and flavor — to build understanding of the value and specific identity of each Thai rice variety.
Additionally, there are Cooking Show activities that elevate Thai local rice into creative menus, honored by two expert chefs: Chef Annie – Angkana Iam-sa-ad, who will demonstrate cooking on October 24, and Chef Blackjack – Thana-wat Puang-phan on October 25, with a total of four menu demonstrations. These include dishes such as stir-fried rice noodles with red-eye chili paste and grilled chicken using Khao Niao Khao Wong Kalasin rice, miang kham rice salad using Khao Bao Yod Muang Trang rice, and baked pineapple rice with seared chicken breast in clean Hang Lay sauce using Khao Hom Mali Phayao rice — reflecting the potential of Thai local rice for creative menu development.
The venue also opens space for the public to purchase Thai rice products and goods, along with sales promotion activities and the cultural performance "Rice Patterns, Thai Local Arts," reflecting the bond between rice and the way of life and culture of Thai people, creating an atmosphere of learning combined with entertainment throughout both days.
The "Thai Local Rice Fest #2" is not merely a public relations platform for Thai local rice but also a channel linking agricultural knowledge with consumption and product development, to stimulate public recognition of the value of Thai local identity rice and support the creation of economic opportunities for rice farmers and entrepreneurs.
The Rice Department invites the public and interested parties to join the "Thai Local Rice Fest #2" on October 24-25, 2026 at Paradise Park in Bangkok to discover the charm of Thai local rice from all directions through GI rice tasting activities, chef cooking demonstrations, and Thai rice product shopping.
