Nan in the North and Songkhla in the South of Thailand have been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in 2025.

On 31 October, which marks World Cities Day 2025, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay designated 58 cities from 41 countries as new members of the UCCN. Nan was designated as a Creative City in the field of Crafts and Folk Art, while Songkhla was designated as a Creative City of Gastronomy.

Minister of Culture Sabeeda Thaised said that Nan had presented the Artisans–Community–Nature concept in its nomination for UNESCO Creative City status. The concept reflects Nan as a Living Old City, highlighting its rich heritage of traditional crafts and folk art, local wisdom, and cultural capital passed on from generation to generation. 

Nan is also famous for hand-woven textiles, basketry, and mural paintings. It has a long history and ethnic diversity, with well-preserved prehistoric archaeological discoveries. In its vision, Nan is striving to become the city of happiness and creativity.

As for Songkhla, the concept focuses on the “city of two seas,” with the practices of palmyra palm tapping, rice cultivation, and fish farming. Songkhla is situated between Songkhla Lake (a brackish lagoon) and the Gulf of Thailand. 

It is recognized as a “rice bowl” of southern Thailand and rich in diverse culinary scene, which features a blend of Thai, Chinese, Malay, and Persian influences. The unique flavors and charm of Songkhla cuisine have been developed to contribute to the local economy and cultural tourism.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network demonstrates that culture and creative industries can be concrete drivers of development. With the 58 new designations in 2025, the Network now includes 408 cities across more than 100 countries. For the first time, the UCCN welcomes Creative Cities of Architecture – a new creative field in addition to the seven existing ones: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.