Pin it and wait! Udon Thani is ready.

Confirming 100% readiness for the world-class event everyone is waiting for! Prepare to experience greatness for a full 134 days, from November 1, 2026 - March 14, 2027.

This event isn't just about flowers and plants, but transforming "Nong Dae" into a green city of the future. Ready to welcome tourists worldwide with maximum readiness. Convenient travel by plane, car, and train. Building 3 new traffic intersections to turn into the event, adding a temporary train station right in front of the event!

Plenty of parking spots, ready with free shuttle buses for pick-up and drop-off at 7 points across the city. Over 382 hotels supporting more than 11,000 rooms.

Udon people, prepare to be good hosts. As for tourists, get ready. See you next year!

On November 22, 2025, the Udon Thani International Horticultural Expo 2026 organizing team held a communication meeting to prepare for tourism support for the Udon Thani International Horticultural Expo 2026 at Centara Hotel, Mueang District, Udon Thani Province. This was to create awareness of event information and ensure the private sector is ready to build upon tourism, opening opportunities for business negotiations between operators in Udon Thani and neighboring provinces. Mr. Natthapong Khamwongpin, Deputy Governor of Udon Thani, presided over the meeting.

Mr. Natthapong Khamwongpin stated, "Preparing for the Horticultural Expo requires a considerable amount of time. However, due to the COVID situation, plans had to be delayed for a while until the bid was finally secured in early 2022, leaving less than 4 years for preparation. Initially, there were concerns about whether the event could be organized in time, especially regarding the Nong Dae wetland area. It wasn't a matter of just walking in and hosting an event; permission to use the land had to be requested, the matter had to be submitted for a Cabinet resolution, and there were legal approval steps, all of which take time. But eventually, everything passed well due to the collaboration of many parties. The three main agencies organizing this event are the Department of Agriculture, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and Udon Thani Province."

"Today, I will recount what we have been through. Those who have been following news on this matter likely have concerns about this event regarding whether it will be finished in time, cancelled, or postponed. Today, I can confirm that we will not postpone. It will definitely open on November 1, 2026, with an event duration of 134 days or 4 months, from November 2026 to March 14, 2027."

Our Udon Thani Province isn't looking at just what we will get from the 4 months of the event, but looking further ahead to how we can still utilize the area afterwards to draw people into our region. We are upgrading extensively to meet the vision of "Udon Thani, Green City of the Future."

This Horticultural Expo is like a giant magnet that will attract both domestic and international tourists, and will also link to new tourism that will occur with provincial clusters, regions, and the national level. Therefore, I want tourism operators to see this opportunity together. Use this golden time to make your business grow by leaps and bounds, elevating tourism products and services to international standards simultaneously. I emphasize that while the event venue is in Udon Thani, the benefits will surely distribute to each province. It depends on how you all help promote tourism businesses to be ready for this opportunity. Therefore, everyone must start preparing everything from this year because if you wait until next year, everything might be too late.

As for Udon Thani Province, we are fully preparing, with up to 16 committees supervising various aspects. We view that while the event is at Nong Dae, the surrounding areas must be equally ready.

Regarding roads and travel, the Nong Dae area is north of the city, on the right side of Road No. 2 or Mittraphap Road heading up to Nong Khai Province. There is an obstacle because U-turns are required, especially for large tour buses coming to visit the event. We are therefore eliminating this difficulty by creating a 3-way intersection in front of the Nong Dae entrance area. The Udon Thani Highway District 1 will install traffic lights in this area. Every vehicle heading to the Horticultural Expo will be able to turn right into the event much more conveniently.

As for mass transit, we have prepared 7 shuttle bus dispatch points or special additional vehicles. Point 1 is at Central Udon Thani and UD Town, which is in the city center, a tourism and shopping hub. From this point to the expo area is about 9 kilometers, taking about 16 minutes. Point 2 will be at the Bangchak gas station on Mittraphap Road, outbound from Nong Khai, about 7 kilometers away, taking 7 minutes. This area can park many large vehicles. Point 3 is also at a Bangchak gas station, located southeast of the city on the route from Sakon Nakhon Province, about 13 kilometers away. One can use the ring road or eastern bypass to connect to the Horticultural Expo as well, taking about 19 minutes. Additionally, if coming from Nong Bua Lamphu and Loei, one can stop at Makro Udon Thani Branch 2. For those coming from the east, parking is available at 2 more points: Go Wholesale, taking about 8 minutes for roughly 6 kilometers, and Premium Outlet Udon Thani, about 8 kilometers away taking 11 minutes. Another point in the city is "Thung Si Mueang," which has a spacious area capable of accommodating much parking, taking about 16 minutes to reach the venue. It can be seen that all points are privately owned, all of which are ready to support the event.

Regarding regional connectivity, our airport is already an international airport. Normally there are 40 flights per day, but we have more potential than that. There are plans to expand various parts within the airport, such as passenger walkways and internal transport systems. Most recently, Udon Thani Airport is preparing to support direct flights from China that will occur late this year or early next year. Besides China, we are trying to coordinate with other places to create more direct flights to Udon Thani. Furthermore, regionally, we already have flights to U-Tapao, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, and we are ready to accommodate passengers flying in from all over the country.

Rail transport is also important. Our Udon Thani Province has a train line normally running from Nong Khai to Bangkok regularly, passing behind Nong Dae, the event area. We therefore requested cooperation from the State Railway of Thailand to build a temporary train station during the event. The State Railway of Thailand will design and decorate the train to be beautiful and match the Horticultural Expo atmosphere. Visitors can travel from Udon Thani station, located near UD Town, taking very little time. Those coming via Nong Khai can also take the train, which is considered convenient and offers an attractive travel atmosphere. Additionally, it can connect with the high-speed rail of Laos. Tourists from China can come to the event directly via the rail system.

Regarding accommodation facilitation, Udon Thani Province has 382 hotels capable of accommodating 11,000 rooms. Meanwhile, neighboring provinces like Nong Khai, Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Sakon Nakhon, and Khon Kaen can also help attract tourists to stay, so these high-potential tourists can spend in your provinces.

As for food, I can say that our Udon Thani is a "Foodie's Paradise." We have restaurants with Michelin-level menus in many places, guaranteeing the international taste level of Udon Thani Province. In this part, the private sector is already enthusiastic about preparing.

And regarding the province, Udon Thani has just been announced as one of the MICE Cities. We have a large convention center. We can support seminars with large numbers of people, which is another aspect of readiness.

Another important part is public health work because we cannot predict when illness will occur. We have prepared strictly in this area. We have 2 center-level hospitals, 19 community hospitals, and 3 private hospitals. Udon Thani's private hospitals have a national reputation. Brothers and sisters from the Lao People's Democratic Republic, or Lao PDR, come to use services regularly in large numbers.

Our medical personnel number up to 3,400, with over 5,000 total beds. Throughout the 134 days of the event, the Provincial Public Health Office has prepared to set up 4 medical service points scattered across the event area, capable of handling everything from minor illnesses to emergencies.

Additionally, regarding safety of life and property, we give it no less importance. The Udon Thani Provincial Police Station has already laid out a support plan, dividing security zones into 7 zones with 231 police officers stationed at the event daily. Therefore, every tourist can be confident in safety. We are also bringing technology into use, including body cameras on officers, vehicle cameras, night patrol drones, and an LPR (License Plate Recognition) system. Besides officers stationed throughout the event, there are also officers looking after all 7 parking spots constantly.

I emphasize to all operators that from today onwards, you must start planning tourism routes and marketing. Udon Thani Province has laid out initial example tourism routes as well, such as the "Naga Faith Route – Naga Road," linking Udon Thani, Nong Khai, and Bueng Kan. If you come, you must go to Kham Chanod, stop to pay respects to Luang Pho Phra Sai, and continue to Naka Cave. This is a spiritual route that faithful people cannot miss. Another tourism route is the "Nature and Lifestyle Route – Nature and Adventure Road," linking the Red Lotus Sea in Udon Thani to Chiang Khan in Loei Province. We chose the Red Lotus Sea because it normally starts to bloom from December to February, which coincides exactly with this Horticultural Expo. Another route is the "MICE and Smart City Road," targeting government officials coming to organize or observe work, and student groups attending the event. This route links with Khon Kaen because it was just certified as a MICE City as well. Interested parties can view agricultural innovations and the Horticultural Expo, then connect to IT matters in Khon Kaen. This can also draw people to various provinces in our Isan region.

Another thing I want to inform you about regarding event readiness is target groups. Now, Udon Thani Province has coordinated with the Ministry of Interior for local administrative organizations nationwide to help set budgets to bring executives and various agencies under local administrative organizations to study and observe the Horticultural Expo. Another group is educational institutions, from high school to higher education levels, who can also come to observe. The cooperative and community enterprise group is no less important; they can bring local sages and community enterprises to observe new agricultural innovations, especially in the International Horticulture zone, to learn and build upon.

And recently, Udon Thani Province held a beautiful buffalo contest, which we have organized continuously in November for 3 years. Coincidentally, it aligns with the Horticultural Expo period. We therefore thought we would bring these beautiful buffaloes to the Isan Village we have designed. It is exciting because current buffaloes, especially these beautiful ones, have prices reaching ten million.

Natthapong Khamwongpin re-emphasized that from this readiness preparation data, each province can take it back to consider what connections can be made where. As for the host, Udon Thani, we are one hundred percent ready in terms of the venue, management, and accommodating tourists from across the country and the world.

© 2025 Khaoyai Connect. All rights reserved.

No part of this content may be copied, modified, or distributed in any form without prior written permission.