Thailand’s cultural and creative landscape is undergoing a remarkable evolution. From the high level policy departments of Bangkok to the heritage filled communities of Chumphon and Samut Prakan, local visionaries are proving that traditional wisdom, digital media, and robust data can work hand in hand to build a resilient future.
Central to this transformation is the British Council Hybrid Creative Economy Training programme, an initiative delivered under the ASEAN-UK Advancing the Creative Economy Programme. This cross border initiative brings together regional leaders to acquire actionable, data driven frameworks and spark grassroots change.
As part of our ongoing series highlighting the real world impact of the 2026 British Council Hybrid Creative Economy Training cohort, let us explore how four inspiring change makers from Thailand are turning global training insights into localized community impact.
1. Aligning Local Statistics with Global Cultural Standards
Pattamapong Rattanakosai (Ministry of Culture, Bangkok)
For Cultural Officer Pattamapong Rattanakosai, building a thriving creative economy requires a solid foundation of data. Working within the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Pattamapong dedicates himself to advancing evidence based governance by leading the implementation of the UNESCO Culture | 2030 Indicators in Thailand.
His work focuses on identifying sector strengths and development gaps, driving the creation of a unified, internationally aligned cultural data framework for the nation. Equipped with comprehensive exposure to international frameworks from the training programme, he intends to further institutionalise the use of cultural statistics to inform national policy design and budget prioritisation.
"Overall, the programme offered both conceptual clarity and applied knowledge that I can utilise directly to strengthen Thailand's cultural and creative industries at the policy level." Pattamapong Rattanakosai
2. Cultural Capital as a Tool for Inclusive Growth
Siriwan Panusnachee (Chumphon Provincial Office of Culture)
In Chumphon, Siriwan Panusnachee focuses on transforming local cultural heritage into sustainable economic value. Operating at the forefront of the Cultural Product of Thailand (CPOT) initiative, Siriwan serves as a Cultural Expert Officer, bridging traditional wisdom with modern innovation to empower community based creative enterprises.
Inspired by the ecosystem based perspective of the training, she is moving away from incremental improvements toward systemic transformation. Her current goal is to establish a structured provincial creative economy platform in Chumphon to uplift local creators.
"The training helped me see provincial cultural ecosystems not as isolated local initiatives, but as scalable drivers of national and regional transformation." Siriwan Panusnachee
3. Collaborative Projects to Promote Samut Prakan's Festive Heritage
Narumon Kasemsukphaisan (Samut Prakan Provincial Cultural Office)
Based in Samut Prakan, Cultural Academic Officer Narumon Kasemsukphaisan works tirelessly to promote, preserve, and creatively develop local art and traditions. Her dedication to raising local cultural awareness translates into highly collaborative community projects, such as the 2025 Phra Samut Chedi Worship Festival and the 2026 "One District, One Creative Space" initiative.
Armed with a broader perspective on social and economic innovation from the programme, Narumon plans to leverage technological innovation and digital media to raise public awareness of local creative spaces and community driven stage events.
"This experience highlighted the immense value of creating arts, cultural products, and services that generate true economic value for our communities." Narumon Kasemsukphaisan
4. Upskilling the Next Generation of Thailand's Film Talents
Sarisa Bhusawang (Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture, Bangkok)
As a Cultural Officer, Sarisa Bhusawang channels her expertise into capacity building initiatives that strengthen Thailand's dynamic film and audiovisual sector. She actively coordinates training programmes and knowledge exchange workshops designed to equip filmmakers, producers, and creative practitioners with the essential skills needed to adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape.
Leveraging practical insights from the training, Sarisa aims to design high-quality capacity building programmes for emerging creative talents while fostering much closer collaboration between government stakeholders and local creative communities.
"The training helped me better understand the importance of designing policies that are responsive to the realities of practitioners and stakeholders in the creative industries." Sarisa Bhusawang
The Big Picture: Unleashing Thai Potential
From international data alignment to film sector capacity building and provincial heritage scaling, these four leaders embody the incredible breadth of Thailand's creative sector. By utilising the practical templates, policy frameworks, and regional connections forged through the British Council Hybrid Creative Economy Training programme, they are building a more inclusive and resilient creative future.