Watcharapol, Pheu Thai MP from Nakhon Ratchasima, points out that the 2027 World Horticultural Expo will surely revive the Northeastern economy but has received little promotion. He urges close attention to the new Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) governor, hoping for no political interference and a capable person to bring world-class sports to Thailand.
On 1 June 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Watcharapol Tomornsak, Member of Parliament for Nakhon Ratchasima from the Pheu Thai Party and Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Sports Committee, revealed that the committee will closely monitor the selection of the new Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) governor to replace Mr. Kongsak Yodmanee, whose term ends in September 2026. He also hopes there will be no political interference, as every sports association deserves a leader who can coordinate among all associations and the private sector while being accepted by all parties.
Mr. Watcharapol further stated that past development of athletes in many associations has been hampered, mainly due to budget issues, preventing many talented Thai athletes from receiving development opportunities. As a result, Thailand has not achieved the expected success in various sports. He added that the new governor should be someone who can attract world-class sports competitions to be hosted in Thailand, as the country is fully prepared in all aspects. Therefore, he hopes the government will prioritize international sports events because hosting such competitions will promote Thai tourism and bring significant revenue into the country.
Thailand has secured the rights to host the Korat Expo 2029, the 2029 World Horticultural Expo in Nakhon Ratchasima, which will take place from 10 November 2029 to 28 February 2030. This global event is expected to attract between 2.6 and 4 million visitors, greatly boosting the economy and tourism in the Northeast region. However, promotional activities and publicity remain very limited. When asked, many people in Korat do not even know their city is hosting the expo.
Therefore, he urges all relevant agencies, both local and central, to intensify promotion efforts domestically and internationally, as this event will stimulate tourism and attract substantial investment to the Northeast. Additionally, they should collaborate to develop the expo site into a new attraction for Korat to draw tourists even after the event concludes, which is believed to support the future tourism prospects of Nakhon Ratchasima province.