International Horticultural Expo 2026 in Udon Thani

Thailand is chosen to host the International Horticultural Expo 2026 in Udon Thani, a northeastern province. It will be the first landmark global event in the Greater Mekong Subregion. The mega-event will feature the theme “Diversity of Life: Connecting Water, Plants, and People for Sustainable Living” driven on farming policy and BCG  by the ‘3S’ economic model of the government and SDGs the United Nations.

Approval was officially granted at the AIPH General Meeting on Tuesday (8 Mar) by AIPH Regulations for International Horticultural Exhibitions.

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) members consist of thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants around the world who are together united by one essential goal – promoting the place of plants in people’s lives.

“Our great hope is for a world where the essential value of plants is recognised and reflected in every step forward for humanity. AIPH is, and will always be, the world’s champion for the power of plants. Our relationship with nature was pivotal in our past. It is fundamental to our future.” Tim Briercliffe, Secretary-General, AIPH

Udon Thani Governor Siam Sirimongkol says: “As the agricultural business and trading centre of the Greater Mekong Region, Udon Thani is exceptionally proud to bring AIPH’s International Horticultural Expo back to Thailand. The event will be called ‘The Garden of Mekong’ to celebrate the abundance of the Mekong wetland, where people are blessed with biodiversity and harmony. This prestigious global event with the central theme “Diversity of Life: People, Water and Plants” will bring well-deserved attention to our fertile but fragile land on the great international river where our ancestors have learnt co-living for millennia.

The governor added that the event’s central theme will be “Diversity of Life: People, Water and Plants”.

The 2026 International Horticultural Expo will be hosted in Udon Thani province from November 1, 2026, to March 14, 2027.

Mr Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), who represented Thailand in the official bid for the Expo, expressed Thailand’s confidence in hosting the landmark global event, portraying the success of the past two horticultural expos hosted by Thailand in Chiang Mai province.

He also emphasised the government’s development strategy and national agenda to promote the Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model or BCG as a new development model that seeks to drive socio-economic growth while minimizing and even reversing the negative impacts on the environment. The strategy will be of great contribution to Udon Thani International Horticultural Expo 2026.

The Udon Thani Expo 2026 is expected to cost 2,500 million baht in investment and attract 3.6 million visitors over 134 days during the expo.

Udon Thani (MICE City), a province with 1.5 million populations, is located in the northeastern region of Thailand, 580 kilometres away by road from Bangkok. The city can be reached daily by a one-hour flight from Bangkok.