SONGKHLA, Thailand – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired the first Mobile Cabinet Meeting of 2026 in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, Sep 1, with an agenda focusing on Southern Thailand’s development and opportunities to expand the region’s economy, tourism, and soft power. Before the meeting at Prince of Songkla University, Anutin toured exhibitions presenting Songkhla’s capabilities in disaster preparedness, technology, industry, welfare, agriculture, tourism, and cultural heritage.
The Hat Yai Model Plus exhibition presented the use of artificial intelligence and real-time data for flood warnings, area-specific disaster response, and evacuation shelter management. Other exhibitions covered plans to develop Songkhla’s MICE industry and festival economy through cooperation with Sydney, Australia; the province’s pursuit of UNESCO World Heritage status; and its industrial potential, including rubberwood and processed seafood products.
Anutin also viewed presentations on smart welfare services, financial assistance for the public and farmers, environmentally friendly agriculture, and access to green markets. The Tourism Authority of Thailand promoted Songkhla’s local identity and attractions, while the exhibitions collectively demonstrated opportunities to generate greater economic value from tourism, cultural assets, agriculture, industry, and community products.
The prime minister later joined Cabinet members and the governors of Surat Thani, Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, and Songkhla for a commemorative photograph. Cabinet members also received banana-fiber document bags produced by the Kortani OTOP Group in Hat Yai, showcasing local craftsmanship and the use of community resources and traditional knowledge to create higher-value products, jobs, and income. (NNT)
