Thailand will on Sunday launch its bid in Paris to host the 2028 Specialised Expo.
Government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Saturday Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will lead officials from the Public Health Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Phuket province to propose that Thailand host the Specialised Expo at the Bureau of International Expositions in Paris.
Competing with the Thai bid are delegations from the United States, Argentina, Serbia and Spain, all of which also hope to host the international event, she said.
She said Thailand is pushing Phuket as its proposed location for the expo as part of its plans to promote both the island and the country as a medical hub and global destination for medical tourism.
She said the government submitted its letter of candidature to host the event to the organiser on Jan 7.
Ms Traisuree said the winner will be announced in June next year. If Thailand is selected, it will take four years to organise the event, slated for March 20-June 17, 2028.
The event is anticipated to draw 4.93 million Thai and foreign visitors as well as serve as a promotional tool for various sectors, she said.