Mr Rangsiman’s claim came in an explanation to the public yesterday (Nov 13), following Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew announcing last week that he will present to the mobile Cabinet meeting in Krabi on Tuesday (Nov 16) a proposal for Phuket to be focal point of hosting the expo, which will also include other Andaman provinces as secondary hosts.
The move is part of a plan to help broaden Phuket’s economic base and reduce the island’s overdependence on destination tourism, Governor Narong explained in announcing the move on Nov 3.
The World Specialised Expo 2028 is the second largest event after the World Expo, Mr Rangsiman said.
“This is an important issue that will change the shape of Phuket’s tourism sector from just tourism to leisure. It is more business tourism,” he added.
Specialised Expos lasted about three months, Mr Rangsiman explained.
“In the past, such expos have attracted about 5 million tourists. The highest is about 11 million people. Phuket is expected to host the most tourists from the event, with an average of over a million people each month,” he said.
“This will change how we work significantly. There will be hundreds of meetings held before the big event. This creates employment and will bring a relatively high economic turnover,” ha added.
“According to a study by the TCEB (Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau), it is estimated that the income generated will be at least B40 billion baht and create jobs for about 100,000 people.
“It will make Phuket a new landmark for meetings, and the advantages of holding a Specialized Expo or an event of this nature include the rapid acceleration the development of utilities and public utilities infrastructure in order to support the meeting, adn which must be completed before 2028,” Mr Rangsiman continued.
“If it is approved by the Cabinet, we would have to prepare to submit bids to other countries in December 2021,” he added.
OTHER CONTENDERS
The countdown to enter a bid to host a World Specialized Expo began in July, when the United States of America notified the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) that it is seeking to organise a Specialised Expo in the State of Minnesota between May 15 and and August 15, 2027.
“Any other countries wishing to organise a Specialised Expo in 2027/28 have six months from this date ‒ until 28 January 2022 at 5pm CET ‒ to notify the BIE of their candidature,” the intergovernmental organisation in charge of overseeing and regulating World Expos since 1931 said in its announcement.
The Minnesota bid, submitted on July 29, aims to hold a Specialized Expo under the theme, “Healthy People, Healthy Planet: Wellness and Well-Being for All”.
As Explained by Phuket Governor Narong last week, the Phuket bid, to be submitted to Cabinet on behalf of all the Andaman coast provinces, aims to be held under the theme of Medical and Wellness Tourism.
The Minnesota bid was submitted by letter directly from US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, handed to the Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, by Brian Aggeler, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Paris.
“As this is the first candidature submitted to the BIE to host a Specialised Expo in 2027 or 2028, a six-month countdown is now enacted during which all other countries wishing to organise a Specialised Expo in 2027 or 2028 may notify the BIE of their candidature,” the BIE said in its announcement in July.
“At the end of this candidature phase – on 28 January 2022 at 5pm CET – the BIE will close the candidate list. Once the list is closed, the project examination phase of the candidature process will be launched, during which each candidate will submit a detailed candidature dossier.
“The BIE will then organise Enquiry Missions and assess the feasibility and viability of each candidature project,” it added.
The host country of Specialised Expo 2027/28 will then be elected by the 169 Member States of the BIE gathered in a General Assembly, the BIE explained.
BIE Secretary General Mr Kerkentzes noted, “The strength of Specialised Expos lies in their capacity to focus global attention on a particular topic of international relevance, and to seek a global response to a precise issue. I am looking forward to knowing more about the United States’ proposed theme.”
The United States is an active and engaged Member State of the BIE and has been the host country of multiple expos ranging from World Expo 1876 Philadelphia to Specialised Expo 1984 New Orleans. It participates regularly in World and Specialised Expos and has been recognised for the quality of its participation.
Expos ‒ also known in the United States as “World’s Fairs” ‒ are global events that explore a chosen theme through engaging and immersive discoveries. Among the different categories of Expos, Specialised Expos are global events designed to respond to a precise challenge facing humanity and may take place in the interval between two World Expos.
Specialised Expos are limited in terms of duration ‒ lasting up to three months ‒ and space ‒ with the site not exceeding 25 hectares. The exhibition site is entirely built by the organiser, participants being provided with pavilion space.
The most recent Specialised Expo, Expo 2017 Astana, took place in the capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan, under the theme “Future Energy”, and welcomed almost 4 million visitors.
This content was originally published here.