Phuket Expo 2028 would help revitalise the resort island's economy, people's livelihoods and the environment, the Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry and Phuket officials co-hosted a press briefing and presentation yesterday on Thailand's candidacy to host Expo 2028, during which they showcased their plans and vision to an audience made up of diplomats and the media.
Peeradon Kaewlai, an adviser for the expo project, said this would be the first-ever world-class expo staged in a forest setting, with 141 rai of forest land near Mai Khao Beach set to host the event if Thailand's bid is successful.
It would also help to revive local ecological systems, he added.
"The site where we intend to host the exhibition is denuded forest. We have already consulted with environmental researchers and scientists as this is contagious and can spread to other forest land nearby," he said.
He said only two new expo buildings would be built, both made from wood from Southern Thailand to promote sustainability.
Moreover, the expo will provide a boost for Vajira Hospital Phuket's goal of turning the area into a medical hub, Mr Peeradon said.
"There was already a plan for this site, which corresponds with the vision of the hospital and the Public Health Ministry vision to transform Phuket, so it no longer has to survive on a single source of income, namely, tourism," he said.
"So they came up with a plan to make the province a medical hub," he said, adding some venues built by the hospital would be used during the expo.
He said Expo 2028 would also be the first world-class expo staged in an Asean country, if the bid goes to Phuket.
The venues would also be repurposed later to host large-scale international conferences, he added.
Phuket governor Narong Woonciew said the expo is in line with the Phuket Development Plan 2023-2027, which aims to diversify the province's sources of income and enrich its biodiversity while advancing its technology and services.
"The expo will not only generate more income for Phuket but also for the Andaman cluster of Phuket, Krabi and Phangnga," he said.
Thailand is bidding to host the specialised expo on Mai Khao Beach under the theme "Future of Life: Living in Harmony, Sharing Prosperity".
Expo 2028 is due to run from March 20 to June 17, 2028.