Nan and Songkhla Join UNESCO Creative Cities Network for 2025
Nan and Songkhla have been officially designated as members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) for 2025. The announcement was made on World Cities Day, when UNESCO confirmed the inclusion of 58 new cities from 41 countries. With this, the network now includes 408 cities across more than 100 countries.
Nan has been recognised in the Crafts and Folk Art category. The province is known for its community-based craftsmanship traditions, including Tai Lue woven textiles, bamboo crafts, pottery from the Bo Suak community, and mural art at Wat Phumin. These practices reflect the province’s cultural identity and the connection between artisans, local knowledge, and natural surroundings.
Songkhla has been designated as a Creative City of Gastronomy. Its food culture draws from local ecosystems and long-established culinary exchanges among Thai, Malay, Chinese, and Persian influences. Local ingredients and community culinary practices continue to shape the province’s regional food identity.
With the inclusion of Nan and Songkhla, Thailand now has seven member cities in the UCCN. Other recognised cities include Phuket, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Sukhothai, Phetchaburi, Chiang Rai, and Suphan Buri, representing fields such as gastronomy, crafts and folk art, design, and music.
The addition of Nan and Songkhla highlights ongoing efforts in Thailand to support cultural heritage, creative practices, and sustainable local development within the framework of the creative economy.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said “The recognition of Nan and Songkhla as UNESCO Creative Cities highlights Thailand’s strength in integrating culture, creativity, and community-based wisdom into sustainable development. It reinforces our vision to position Thailand as a global hub of creative and cultural tourism, where travellers can experience the diversity of Thai traditions and the innovative spirit that sustains them.”
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