Thailand opens world’s first wetland garden expo in Udon Thani
Thailand has opened a major international garden show on a wetland for the first time anywhere in the world. The Udon Thani International Horticultural Expo 2026 opened on Sunday, 1 November, at Nong Dae Wetland in Udon Thani province, in north-east Thailand. It runs for 134 days, until 14 March 2027.
It is the first international horticultural expo ever held in the Greater Mekong Subregion, and the first ever held on a wetland site. Its theme is “Diversity of Life: Connecting Water, Plants, and People for Sustainable Living”. The 134 days mark Udon Thani’s 134th anniversary.
The site covers about 165 hectares and is divided into six zones, including an International Garden Zone, greenhouses, an agricultural innovation zone and an Isan village with traditional houses and food. There are 32 international gardens from 17 countries and two international organisations, including Japan, Bhutan, China and the United States. Orchid displays run from 1 to 11 November, and handicraft exhibitions start on 14 November. Tickets cost 199 baht, while Udon Thani residents can buy a 199-baht ticket for the whole expo.
Thailand’s government expects about 3.6 million visitors and around 20 billion baht in economic activity from the event, along with more than 81,000 jobs. The expo cost 2.5 billion baht, plus an extra 250 million baht after the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), which approved the event, asked for improvements. The extra spending drew criticism, and the ministry defended it as needed to meet international standards.
Why it matters
The expo puts Thailand’s north-east, known as Isan, on the world tourism map. Most visitors head for Bangkok, the beaches or Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani hopes the show will bring them further north. It is also a test of a new idea: building a world-class garden show on a living wetland, rather than on cleared land. Thailand hosted this kind of expo twice before, in Chiang Mai in 2006 and 2011, but never in the north-east and never on a wetland.
What happens next
The opening days focus on orchids, with displays running until 11 November. Flower, fruit and vegetable competitions and a lotus competition in January will follow. When the expo closes on 14 March 2027, the site is set to become a permanent public park and ecotourism attraction.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.tatnews.org/2026/10/november-event-and-calendar/ (Tourism Authority of Thailand, 29 October 2026)
- https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/ptigh9fner0d/ (Travel and Tour World, 30 October 2026)
- https://www.khaoyaiconnect.com/en/content/4 (Khao Yai Connect, expo coverage)
