BOI approves “Tomorrowland Thailand” investment in Chonburi, expecting 2.1 billion baht in economic activity.
The Board of Investment (BOI) has approved an investment promotion application from a Thai-Belgian joint venture preparing to host the first world-class music festival in Asia. The goal is to attract over 60% more international tourists to the country, elevating Thailand's status as a regional hub for international events. The approval includes tax and artist visa incentives to facilitate large-scale event organizers, subject to a minimum investment requirement of 100 million baht.
December 29, 2025 – Mr. Narut Teodsathirasak, Secretary-General of the Board of Investment (BOI), revealed that the project review working group, authorized by the BOI, has approved investment promotion for VR1.World (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for the organization of international music, sports, and festival events. The company will proceed with the project to host a world-class e-music festival under the name “Tomorrowland Thailand”.
The project is a joint venture between TL International (a subsidiary of Tomorrowland Group, Belgium) and One Asia Ventures Co., Ltd., a Thai company. The first event is scheduled to take place at Wisdom Valley, Chonburi Province, in December 2026, for three days, accommodating up to 50,000 visitors per day. It is projected that over 60% of the attendees will be international tourists.
Initial assessments estimate that Tomorrowland Thailand, over a five-year period, will generate a total economic value of at least 21 billion baht. Beyond tourism, the project includes the establishment of the “Tomorrowland Academy” to impart knowledge and international event management standards to personnel in Thailand’s service and event industries.
Thailand is the first country in Asia to be selected as the venue for this event, reflecting its potential in terms of infrastructure and readiness in the tourism sector.
"The BOI has removed obstacles to organizing large-scale events, including issues with visas and work permits for foreign artists and teams, as well as tax burdens on performance equipment, to facilitate easier access for world-class event organizers to hold events in Thailand."
The Secretary-General of the BOI further stated that the government is focused on attracting mega-events to elevate Thailand's status as a world-class destination, and has established key incentives and criteria as follows:
- Tax benefits: Exemption from import duties for machinery and equipment used in events that are imported temporarily.
- Personnel Facilitation: One-stop service for visas and work permits for artists and staff through collaboration with the Immigration Bureau and the Ministry of Labour.
- Eligibility requirements for promotion: The event must be a large-scale exhibition with an investment or operating cost of at least 100 million baht per event.
The strategy aims to attract a new generation of high-spending tourists, which will have a direct positive impact on the supply chain of hotels, restaurants, and related services nationwide.
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