Thailand Tourism Forum 2026
15th Annual Edition
Join us for the 2026 Thailand Tourism Forum! Celebrating 15 years as Thailand’s largest and most influential hospitality event, this year’s theme, "A World of Change", offers a fast-paced, candid look at the future of Thailand’s hospitality sector. Explore emerging trends, disruptive innovations, and key strategies shaping the industry.
The BRAC prequel dives into the forces reshaping Thailand’s food-and-beverage landscape—from the battle for Thai culinary identity to the rising influence of design, delivery, and “third spaces.” This is where street culture meets strategy, innovation challenges tradition, and data—not hype—defines the next generation of F&B success.
Organized by C9 Hotelworks, this forum provides fresh insights and actionable strategies for industry professionals. The program will dive into critical topics, including social media’s role in driving travel demand, decoding Thailand’s hotel investment landscape, managing lifestyle versus traditional brands, alternative accommodations and exploring the travel preferences of the young generation. This is your opportunity to gain a timely start-of-the-year report card on Thai tourism and shape the future of the industry.
2026 Event Schedule and Program
Thai Food Fight: Street Food vs Traditional vs Contemporary Thai
Supaksorn “Ice” Jongsiri, Chef and Owner of Sorn, 3 Michelin Star Restaurant, Bangkok
Samantha Proyrungtong, Director of Extrovert Marketing Consulting/Food and Travel Blogger/Founder of VIVIN - café grocery bistro
Light, Sound, Music and Mood: Getting Past the Plate
Eva Lin, Design Director, AvroKO
Patricia Ho Douven, Founder, White Jacket
Next Gen Gastronomy: Evolving Restaurants for Tomorrow
Gavin Vongkusolkit, Director, The Food School Bangkok & Erawan Group
The Third Space: Beyond Bars and Restaurants
Rohit Sachdev, CEO, Soho Hospitality
Sumi Soorian, Founder, Mrs B Group – Restaurant & Bar Consultant
Numbers Don’t Lie: Building Success with Data, Not Hype
Charlotte Whalley, Founder, Director of Strategy & Commercial Insights, Table 12 Consultancy
Co-Hosts
Sumi Soorian, Founder, Mrs B Group – Restaurant & Bar Consultant
Rohit Sachdev, CEO, Soho Hospitality
The Nexus of Thailand
Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks
Paul Keen, Human Being
Investing in a New Tourism Future
Phoom Chirathivat, Head of Hotels and Alternative Investments, Central Pattana (CPN)
David Johnson, (Moderator), CEO, Delivering Asia
So You’ve Got the Data, Now What?
Jesper Palmqvist, Regional Vice President Asia Pacific, STR
Sanjog Modgil, VP Asset Management
Partners in Progress: Reimagining the Owner–Operator Dynamic
Saharat (Sears) Jivavisitnont, Executive Director, Jee Teng Hospitality
Brad Edman, Market Vice President – Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar Marriott International
Bill Barnett, (Moderator), Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks
New Dimensions in Hotel Ownership
Prab Thakral, President and Group CEO, Boutique Corporation PCL
Leanne Reddie, Chief Commercial Officer, Global Asset Solutions Pitinut Robbins, Senior Director Hotel Development – Asia Pacific, Marriott International
Matt Gebbie, (Moderator), Director - Pacific Asia, Horwath HTL
New World, New Rules: Why Thailand’s Legacy Brands Can’t Stand Still
David Keen, Founder and CEO, QUO
Decoding Thailand’s Hotel Landscape
Orn Yomchinda, Executive Vice President, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
Chanavudh Vanachaivong, Senior Vice President, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
The Hotels That Won't Be Standing: Why Resilience Is No Longer Optional?
Armelle Le Bihan, Founder and Director, Green Building Consulting & Engineering
Sustainability as Strategy: Charting the Next Chapter
Eric Ricaurte, Founder and CEO, Greenview
Host
Viona Zhang, Deputy Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks