TAT promotes Thai tourism through the 9 UNESCO Creative Cities of Thailand (and 1 aspiring city) to showcase cultural values and local wisdom.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invites tourists to embark on a journey to discover the meaning of nature and local wisdom, while enjoying the happiness of the UNESCO Creative Cities Thailand routes.
Thailand's 9 UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), along with one aspiring creative city, is preparing special pilot activities in 3 provinces to raise awareness and encourage travel. The first province to kick off the initiative is Sukhothai, a city renowned for its handicrafts and folk arts.
“Encouraging travel along the creative city routes is one of the primary goals of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in promoting domestic tourism,” said Apichai Chatchalermkit, Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing at TAT.
“In 2026, we invite tourists to explore the greatness of nature and wisdom (Moment of Miracle), create memorable happiness (Moment of Memories), and embark on journeys that bring value to themselves, society, and the environment (Moment of Giving).”
The UCCN integrates cultural heritage, creativity, and local wisdom, turning them into meaningful travel experiences.
This aligns with TAT's policy to promote sustainable tourism that creates value. This approach supports the idea of “Value is the New Volume,” focusing on attracting high-quality tourists.
TAT will promote sales in the 9 creative cities to stimulate travel and spending, using the concept of discovering the greatness of nature and wisdom to create shared value between tourists and local communities.
Creating awareness, local identity, and income distribution
Promoting tourism along the UNESCO Creative Cities Thailand routes will help reflect local identities, boost local economies, and create international awareness as cultural and creative destinations. This initiative will serve as a tool to develop cities in a balanced and sustainable way over the long term.
Pilot activities will take place in 3 cities—Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, and Phetchaburi—to encourage travel and provide direct experiences based on the creative city's identity. These events will allow Thais to take pride in their local tourist attractions, which meet international standards.
Pilot activities in 3 provinces:
Sukhothai (Crafts and folk arts)
This event will showcase the identity of Sukhothai handicrafts, such as Sukhothai pottery, Sukhothai gold, silverware, and Sukhothai woven fabrics. Creative activities include a workshop on making keychains from scrap woven fabrics, painting Sukhothai-style cookie designs, a fashion show featuring Sukhothai fabrics and gold, local food tasting, and a Chef’s Table experience presenting local dishes.
Event dates: 30 January – 1 February 2026 at Mahathat Temple, Sukhothai Historical Park
Suphan Buri (Music)
The event will present the diversity of music, from traditional folk artists to modern musicians blending contemporary sounds. It will also feature local food tasting and workshops.
Event dates: 1 – 3 May 2026
Phetchaburi (Food)
The event will showcase local food rooted in three main flavours: salty from sea salt, sweet from palm sugar, and sour from lime. These flavours combine to form the unique culinary identity of the province. Activities will include local food tasting and workshops.
Event dates: 22 – 24 May 2026
Additionally, awareness of Thailand's creative cities will be raised through social media, specifically the Facebook page: UNESCO Creative Cities Thailand. Visitors can share images and experiences from their journeys through the 9 creative cities and have the chance to win prizes from the project.
Thailand has already received UNESCO recognition for nine creative cities:
Pattaya is also in the process of joining the network in the film sector in 2027.
The UCCN, established in 2004, promotes cooperation between cities using creativity to develop sustainable economic, social, and cultural growth. It now includes 408 cities from over 100 countries.
List of Thailand’s creative cities
Chiang Mai (Crafts and folk arts)
Step into Kalm Village, a space that shares knowledge and inspiration through art, handicrafts, and valuable culture in a new form. Pin your map to Baan Kang Wat and shop for local products and artworks, then visit a craft workshop at the craft studio.
Head to Wat Si Suphan to admire the world’s first silver ubosot in the heart of the silver crafting community, where the sound of the large metal hammers echoes through the air.
Explore crafts and shop for handicrafts in the warm atmosphere of Loang Him Kao, the Mae Khao riverside artist community. Stroll through Waroros Market to the back, where you can find affordable hill tribe handicrafts.
Chiang Rai (Design)
Admire the striking blue ubosot at Wat Rong Suea Ten, designed by local artist Phuttha “Sala Nok” Kabkaew, a former student of Thai national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. Then head to the Chiang Rai Contemporary Art Museum, founded by Chalermchai, where the space brings people, artists and ideas together.
Discover Chiang Rai’s pottery scene at Doi Din Daeng, where creativity begins with raw clay and open ground. For something hands-on, make your own piece at Kwai Din Dak Art House.
End with a visit to Choui Fong Tea Café, designed to blend seamlessly into the hillside while offering breathtaking plantation views. The café has been recognised with multiple prestigious design awards.
Nan (Crafts and folk arts)
Visit the Bo Suak community, home to an archaeological site of ancient pottery kilns and a rich tradition of folk art. Pay your respects to the life-sized wax figure of Phra Kru Phutthamon Chotikul, a revered monk, at Wat Si Bunrueang.
Then join a hands-on workshop to paint a miniature boat-racing prow head, inspired by the legendary “Ruea Khun Nan”. Admire Wat Phumin’s distinctive architecture and celebrated murals—especially “Whispers of Love”—before learning lantern-making at Baan Kom Kham.
In the Pua Valley, explore hill-tribe culture through silver craftsmanship at the Doi Silver Museum. End by shopping for locally woven textiles from the Tai Lue Weaving Group at Baan Ket, which keeps ancestral techniques alive.
Sukhothai (Crafts and folk arts)
Create your own one-of-a-kind ceramic piece at Mothana Ceramic. Admire the intricate Teen Jok weaving at Suntree Thai Weaving Centre, and make a keychain from fabric scraps at a craft souvenir workshop.
Stop by Suksamer Coffee and Bakery House to see and taste the famous Srinil Sangkhalok cake, then enjoy designing your own cake. Visit the renowned Sukhothai goldsmith at Baan Thong Somsamai and try your hand at making enamel jewellery at Mai Gold & Silver.
Check out the street art in Sawankhalok, then visit Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai Historical Parks to explore the origins of ancient Sukhothai gold designs.
Phuket (Gastronomy)
Journey back in time with traditional recipes at Kin-Kub-Ei, where the signature chef wears a traditional garment. Discover the origins of Andaman Sea flavours with the Tha Chatchai fishing community, who continue to maintain their traditional methods.
Experience the vegetarian tradition of Phuket at Dok Bua, a vegetarian restaurant that preserves the island’s customs. Taste long-standing local flavours at Lock Tien, a legendary restaurant serving traditional Phuket dishes.
Hunt down Ang Ku Kueh, a lucky turtle-shaped local pastry symbolising longevity and good fortune, along with other local treats like Apong, Tao Sor, O-Aew, and Bi-Co-Moi in homemade ice cream form at Torry’s Ice Cream.
Phetchaburi (Gastronomy)
Learn about the traditional salt farming wisdom at the salt farms of Ban Laem, a source of fine salt, a staple of Thai cuisine. Discover the local craft of making palm sugar at the century-old Uncle Thanom Palm Orchard.
Try the legendary red-soup noodles, famous for their sweet and spicy special sauce. Visit the Tham Rong Community, a tourism cooperative that welcomes visitors with the authentic tastes of Phetchaburi’s local food.
Enjoy the delicate sweetness of traditional Thai desserts at Nok Noi, a Phetchaburi dessert shop. Stop by Coco & Coff, a contemporary café using local ingredients in their coffee and pastries, with a chic market held on special weekends.
Songkhla (Gastronomy)
At the Node Na Le Learning Centre, visitors can discover how toddy palms shape local life and sample toddy palm sugar treats, including Khanom Tan (toddy palm cake). Discover Khai Khrop, a local preservation technique for egg yolks, salted and steamed for a unique taste.
Taste the creative dishes made from Songkhla’s local ingredients at Lyn’s The Shanghai Café. Experience the legendary dim sum of Hat Yai at Chokdee Dim Sum, and the Teochew-style seafood at Tae Hiang Aew on Nang Ngam Road.
Suphan Buri (Music)
Visit the Thai Music House by Kru Eiad, a centre dedicated to folk music, and enjoy the charm of traditional music through workshops.
In Ban Laem Subdistrict, join in singing Choi, a traditional song of Suphan Buri, and enjoy performing music while pounding chili paste. Explore the music room at the Suphan Buri National Museum, where you can learn about valuable works and stories.
Visit the Baan Khun Chanya restaurant, a modern Thai-style house with a signature drink menu named after famous musicians. In the Pa Sa Kae Community, learn traditional folk music in just five minutes.
Bangkok (Design)
Yaowarat’s historic streets showcase the harmony of Thai and Chinese architectural styles, alongside street art—including illustrated manhole covers that tell the community’s stories. Rediscover the old town’s charm on Song Wat Road, where vibrant murals, trendy shops and cafés line the historic streetscape.
Visit another historic trading community, Talat Noi, where artists' works and old buildings paint a colourful picture, and then head to the historic Charoen Krung area. Explore the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC), a creative hub offering exhibitions, workshops, and activities.
Do not miss River City Bangkok, an arts-and-antiques lifestyle centre where art lovers can explore galleries and international exhibitions, meet artists, join talks and film screenings, enjoy live music and auctions, and get a feel for Thailand’s fast-growing contemporary art scene.
Pattaya (Film)
Baan Chakngeaw’s century-old Chinese community is home to a preserved 50-year-old cinema, kept for future generations to visit and learn from. Stroll along the quiet Dong Tan Bay (from the 1970 film Golden Eagle), a serene beach that once served as the backdrop for raw and real scenes.
Visit Pattaya Central Beach (from the 1987 film Deetak), a lively coastal city filled with energy and the raw, cool, modern essence of Pattaya. Walk along Pattaya Walking Street (from the 2021 film Game Changer), a neon-lit street that never sleeps, with a unique nightlife rhythm.
Head to Phra Tamnak Hill (from the 2017 film Mr. Hurt), a viewpoint surrounded by nature that reflects the character’s solitude and inner thoughts. Follow the film Glory Days (1998) through locations like Koh Larn and Big Buddha Hill, connecting youth dreams with memories that cannot be turned back.
Admire the grandeur of the Sanctuary of Truth (from the 2023 film The Creator), a stunning wooden sculpture reflecting life’s philosophy, beliefs, and human power.
(Note: Pattaya is an aspiring member of the UCCN and is currently working towards joining in the film sector by 2027.)
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