Chula, Chiang Mai Province and partners win IFEA Asia Pinnacle Awards 2025 in South Korea 

Associate Professor Saranya Siangarom, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at Chulalongkorn University and leader of the research project “Festival Management to Promote Creative Economy in the Northern Economic Corridor,” along with Chiang Mai Province and its partners, received the award at the IFEA ASIA International Festival Event in Gyeongju, South Korea. This event celebrates IFEA’s 70th anniversary, an organization that enhances the potential and standards of festivals and festival cities worldwide, with over 23 member countries. 

This year, 11 countries participated in IFEA ASIA activities, including 64 cities, with Thailand driving efforts to elevate the standards of Thai festivals internationally and create positive economic impact through the concept of Festival Economy. The event focused on sharing successes and promoting future trends in festival management from global experts and members. 

In addition to being selected as the host for the IFEA Asia Pinnacle Awards & ASIA Festival City Conference 2026, Chiang Mai received three prestigious awards: 

• Asia Festival Award 2025 in the “Asia World Heritage City and Festival” category. 
• Asia Pinnacle Awards for the Yi Peng Chiang Mai Festival in two categories: “Best Event Program” and “Best PR & Marketing.” 

These achievements are a result of the collaboration between Chiang Mai Province and key partners, including the government, private sector, academic institutions, and local communities, such as the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), the Lanna MICE & Tourism Trade Association, and the CU Social Design Lab, under the support of the Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) office. The research and strategic plans aim to enhance the festival’s potential and create a positive impact on the city, while promoting Lanna’s soft power through the Yi Peng Festival. 

Mr. Weerapong Ritrod, Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai, represented the province in accepting the three awards alongside partners involved in organizing the Yi Peng Festival, including TCEB, the Northern Office of TCEB, and other representatives from the Lanna MICE & Tourism Trade Association and academic and research organizations. 

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