(AseanAll) — On May 15, 2026, at the Thai Government House, Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), paid a courtesy call on Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss various cooperation between Thailand and UNESCO.
The Prime Minister welcomed and congratulated UNESCO Director-General for his assumption of the position. The latter’s visit to Thailand reflects close partnership and cooperation progress between Thailand and UNESCO. The Prime Minister reiterated Thailand’s readiness to continue working closely with UNESCO to promote Thailand’s role at the international stage and to create new opportunities for the Thai people, both in economic, cultural, and technological dimensions.
The two parties also discussed the following issues:
1. Inscribing “Chud Thai (Thai traditional dresses)” on UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage
The Thai Government has proposed to UNESCO to designate “Chud Thai” as a global intangible cultural heritage, with the aim of raising global awareness and enhancing Thailand’s creative economy, which include fashion, handicrafts, tourism, and other soft powers, to the recognition at the international level.
Thailand will also host the exhibition “Royal Thai Dress: From Tradition to Modernity” at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France, on May 25, 2026. The exhibition will feature royal gowns of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother, together with the eight styles of Chud Thai Phra Ratcha Niyom (Thai traditional dress): Ruean Ton, Chitralada, Amarin, Boromphiman, Dusit, Chakri, Siwalai, and Chakkraphat. This exhibition is intended to present the elegance and unique identity of Thai dresses to audiences worldwide.
2. Advancing sustainable stewardship of Thailand’s World Heritage sites
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that the Government places great importance to the continuous preservation of Thailand’s cultural and natural World Heritage sites. This is to safeguard the nation’s invaluable resources and ensure that they be passed on to the future generations.
3. Positioning Thailand as an international hub for AI governance
The Government, in collaboration with UNESCO, is preparing to establish an “AI Governance Center” under the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA). This will elevateThailand as a regional and global hub for the exchange of AI-related knowledge, research, and standards, and will help enhance the capacity of Thai professionals, boost confidence in the country’s technology, and enable Thailand to play a leading role in shaping ethical and safe AI practices.
UNESCO has also proposed that Thailand host World Education Conference in the 1st quarter of 2027, building on the success of the Global Forum on Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (GFEAI) 2025 which Thailand co‑hosted with UNESCO. The Prime Minister has expressed the country’s readiness to support this endeavor andreaffirmed the Government’s commitment to advancing Thailand’s role as a center for major international cooperation platforms.
4. Preparing activities to honor Thailand’s royal figures in partnership with UNESCO
Thailand is preparing to organize commemorative activities in honor of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great and Her Majesty Queen Rambhai Barni, with the objective of showcasing their royal duties and significant contributions to the global community. UNESCO has been invited to join as a partner in these activities. The UNESCO Director‑General expressed full support for all of Thailand’s initiatives and for advancing Thailand’s policies in education, science, and human resources development.
According to the Prime Minister, Thailand’s cooperation with UNESCO not only elevates the country’s role at the world stage, but also creates new economic and cultural opportunities, and advancesThailand’s aspiration to become a regional hub for cultural and technological cooperation in the future.
