Watcharapol refutes criticism of the additional 200 million baht budget for publicizing the World Horticultural Expo, insisting it is worthwhile. He emphasized, as someone from Udon Thani, the importance of giving provinces the chance to develop.
At 09:50 on 27 Oct 2026 at the Government House, Mr. Watcharapol Khawkhum, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives and MP for Udon Thani, spoke about the progress of the Udon Thani World Horticultural Expo 2026. He said he inspected the site two weeks ago and found it 90% complete. Recently, after speaking with local officials, he confirmed progress is nearly 100%, and he plans a final inspection of the site and systems on 30 Oct.
When asked about criticism that the event’s budget was not cost-effective, Watcharapol divided the issue into two parts: First, economically, figures from the Chamber of Commerce, Industry Council, and private sector estimate 3 million tourists, over 20 billion baht in economic circulation, and more than 80,000 jobs created. Therefore, such an investment is definitely economically worthwhile.
He continued that second is the social value. As a native of Udon Thani, he asked for opportunities for people in provinces to develop. The social benefits are clear: the event will become a new green lung for Udon Thani, a learning center for students in agriculture, and introduce farmers to new technologies. Importantly, it’s not just about agriculture but also includes architecture and photographs of Isan lifestyle, which will bring social change.
Regarding criticism over the 200 million baht increase in publicity budget, Watcharapol said he does not oversee the Department of Agriculture Extension, but preliminary information shows the increase was recommended by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), which inspected the site since 2025 and advised the approved government budget was insufficient. The department requested additional funds accordingly. He emphasized the decision was not arbitrary; the organizers held meetings and agreed to push for increased publicity funding to cover multiple tasks.
Asked about projects to be proposed at the upcoming cabinet meeting in Udon Thani, Watcharapol said there are several, including promoting Udon Thani University, expanding the local stadium to phases 2 and 3, and developing the second ring road infrastructure. The cabinet will mainly focus on agricultural issues, as well as security and drug problems, which the Prime Minister prioritizes.