The CEA’s new initiative aims to develop creative city brands across nine Thai provinces, fostering economic growth, tourism, and local pride by highlighting each city’s unique identity and cultural heritage.
The Creative Economy Agency (CEA) has launched an ambitious project to promote “Creative City Branding” across nine provinces in Thailand. This initiative, known as CEA Creative City & Place Branding, aims to unlock the potential of local cities by developing a unique identity and fostering collaboration across sectors. Rather than focusing on mere marketing or image-building, the project focuses on creating value and experiences that resonate with both locals and visitors.
Building a New Identity for Thai Cities
The project will be piloted in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani, Ratchaburi, Lamphun, Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Singburi, Sakon Nakhon, and Phetchaburi. These provinces will undergo a comprehensive process to create their “Creative City Brands”—from analysing each city’s potential and identity, to defining strategic directions, and finally implementing tangible projects to enhance the city’s reputation.
Each of the nine provinces brings a distinctive “local DNA” that can translate into a credible city brand: Nakhon Si Thammarat with its living Southern heritage, crafts and temple culture; Pattani as a multicultural coastal city shaped by Malay-Thai traditions, faith, food and maritime trade; Ratchaburi with its artisan backbone—from ceramics and craft communities to riverside markets; Lamphun grounded in Lanna history and slow-living charm, with textiles and heritage sites at its core; Ubon Ratchathani known for Mekong-border creativity, festival culture and contemporary Isaan arts; Si Sa Ket with strong agrarian identity and Khmer-influenced heritage across the lower Northeast; Singburi with its central plains story—local cuisine, river life and community traditions; Sakon Nakhon rich in Indochina-era heritage, faith routes and crafts that bridge cultures; and Phetchaburi blending royal-era history with food culture, traditional sweets and a creative coastline—assets that can be shaped into place-based experiences rather than just slogans.
A Holistic Approach to City Development
Unlike traditional approaches that simply create logos or slogans, the Creative City & Place Branding initiative focuses on building a city’s identity from within. This means developing cities through the people, assets, and strengths inherent to the area. CEA acts as both an advisor and mentor, helping local authorities build a strong, sustainable, and adaptable collaboration across all sectors.
The programme draws inspiration from international examples of City & Place Branding, where cities like Liverpool and Manchester in the UK used creative industries and local identity to revitalise former industrial cities. Similarly, cities in Japan, like Kanazawa and Nagoya, have leveraged cultural and community-led placemaking to draw high-quality tourists while preserving local traditions.
Focus on Local Strengths and Cultural Identity
One of the core elements of the project is to highlight the “true identity” of each city, focusing on their cultural heritage, way of life, businesses, and local resources. By doing so, the initiative seeks to create lasting value and distinct experiences that go beyond just branding. The aim is to make these cities “livable, investable, and visitable” in a sustainable manner.
The initiative will focus on developing four key programmes between January and August 2026:
These efforts aim to spread the benefits of city branding nationwide, encouraging a broader adoption of the Creative Economy approach and ensuring that every city can harness its unique potential.
The Path to Sustainable Economic Growth
The Creative City & Place Branding project has the potential to deliver both economic and social benefits. By enhancing creative economy values, attracting quality tourists and investors, and promoting the growth of creative businesses, this initiative will help preserve and evolve local cultures. It will also bolster cities’ global appeal, creating a lasting image and supporting sustainable city development policies.
Ultimately, the project aims to create clear city identities that are recognised and accepted by all stakeholders, leading to stable and sustainable growth in Thailand’s creative economy. Through this initiative, Thailand’s cities will be able to grow from their unique characteristics and become models of local, national, and global success.
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