Bangkok’s street‑food push
Bangkok’s Thailand Tourism Festival ran March 25–29 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center with regional village food zones designed to spotlight hidden culinary gems from across Thailand ( ). Coverage stressed the city’s contrast between shiny malls and smoky street markets — from grilled scorpions to classic curries — reinforcing Bangkok’s pull as a street‑food capital ( ).
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool framed TTF 2026 around the “5 Must Do in Thailand” — Must Taste, Must Try, Must Buy, Must Seek and Must See — as a way to convert on‑site discovery into actual trips around the kingdom. (tatnews.org) (tatnews.org) Organisers split the expo into nine immersive zones and assigned province counts by region: the Eastern Village brought together nine provinces, the Northeastern (Isan) Village represented 20 provinces, the Southern Village showcased 14 provinces and the Central Village covered 17 provinces. (thailand.prd.go.th) (thailand.prd.go.th) The Central Village included a staged recreation of Bangkok’s Banthat Thong food street, while the Amazing Thailand Zone programmed digital and AI‑driven travel experiences to promote tech‑led itineraries. (thailand.prd.go.th) (thailand.prd.go.th) Organisers promoted the event under Thailand’s Bio‑Circular‑Green (BCG) economic model and ran the festival’s “Zero Waste to Landfills” policy for a fourth consecutive year, pairing upcycling workshops with conservation displays. (tatnews.org) (tatnews.org) The opening ceremony was led by Permanent Secretary Natthriya Thaweevong alongside provincial governors, TAT board members and industry partners, and organisers encouraged public transport access including MRT direct station links and bus route 136. (tatnews.org) (tatnews.org) Industry commentators cast the five‑day showcase as a gauge for domestic travel demand, with the TAT positioning the festival to stimulate local trips and many exhibitors offering special tour packages and promotions to convert interest into bookings. (ttgasia.com) (ttgasia.com)
