Pattaya, Thailand — March 5th, 2026 — Pattaya City Mayor Poramese Ngampichet presided over the official opening of an event set at advancing the city toward designation as a UNESCO Creative City in the field of Film.
The ceremony took place at 5:30 p.m. on March 5th at the Na Kluea Royal Garden (Suan Satharana Chaloem Phra Kiat Na Kluea) in Pattaya. It launched activities to drive the development of a creative district as part of the project “Developing Networks and Raising Awareness for Pattaya as a UNESCO Creative City of Film.”
The event was held under the theme “Pattaya Creative City Forward: Advancing Pattaya Toward a World-Class Creative City.” It attracted a large crowd, including Pattaya City Council members, the Secretary of the Pattaya City Council, representatives from the Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization, and leaders from partner organizations such as the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) Pattaya, Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya Office, Chonburi Provincial Culture Office, Pattaya City Culture Council, and the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association. Heads of government agencies, school administrators and students from Pattaya-affiliated schools, and many local residents also attended.
The initiative focuses on developing creative districts by drawing on the cultural capital, unique identity, and community way of life in Pattaya’s areas. The goal is to build a creative ecosystem that enables communities to work together to create sustainable creative activities in concrete and long-lasting ways.
The program included a workshop called “Na Kluea in Dreams,” which gave participants an open space to design and propose ideas for developing the area. This was followed by a panel discussion titled “Driving the Creative City Forward,” where ideas were shared on transforming the Na Kluea area into a model creative district for Pattaya.
The mayor joined a panel of academics and creative professionals: Phatcharapong Pikulkaew from VORM Festival, Bandit Thongdi from the Thai Film Directors Association, Associate Professor Dr. Phaiboon Sophonsuwaphap (Dean of the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts at Burapha University), Jureet Kangwanphumi from Pan Mueang Co., Ltd., and Sarawit Laokemhung and Thanat Misri from the “Tisatawan East” creative network.
During the discussion, Mayor Poramese described the event as an important step for Pattaya in using creativity, culture, and community involvement to shape urban development. He noted that Pattaya is an internationally known tourism destination with diverse culture, lifestyles, and economic potential.
He explained that modern city development must go beyond increasing tourist numbers. It should create new value for spaces by using cultural capital, community identity, and creativity as core drivers of sustainable progress.
The activities seek to establish a creative ecosystem grounded in local culture, identity, and lifestyles, while encouraging different sectors to team up on designing creative projects. This is intended to support the growth of the city’s creative economy in practical ways.
The mayor expressed confidence that cooperation from government agencies, the private sector, educational institutions, artists, creative entrepreneurs, and local residents will help push Pattaya toward becoming a world-class creative city. He said culture, creativity, and community identity can improve quality of life, open new economic opportunities, and promote balanced and sustainable urban growth.
The “Pattaya Creative City Forward” event serves as a starting point for building partnerships and achieving real results in creative districts. It goes beyond single-area activities to create a full creative ecosystem that allows artists, entrepreneurs, youth, and citizens to take part in cultural innovation and contribute to the city’s creative economy in the future.
Pattaya is working to develop creative districts with distinct local character, connected to tourism, culture, communities, and creative industries. The goal is to build a new image for the city as a Creative Tourism Destination capable of attracting tourists, investors, and creators from around the world.
By relying on creativity and broad participation, Pattaya wants to raise residents’ quality of life, create fresh economic opportunities, and achieve sustainable development—positioning the city to join the global ranks of UNESCO creative cities with pride.
News by: Khwanchai Sueatrong
Photos by: Thanaphong Unmak
Public Relations Division, Tourism and Sports Office
English Version by Adam Judd for The Pattaya News.
