Panel Discussion Launch: ‘The Gateway to Isan’ – Molding Korat into a Digital Economy Hub, AI City, and Thailand’s Silicon Valley

The seminar “The Gateway to Isan: Transforming Northeastern Business, Creating New Era Entrepreneurs” opened the conversation with a critical question for the digital economy era: How can a city redefine its role within the modern economic system, and how can we ensure opportunities are not clustered solely in the capital? The city chosen for this case study is Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat).

The dialogue stemmed from an exchange of perspectives between three key mechanisms of urban and economic development: the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), the Nakhon Ratchasima Chamber of Commerce, and Techsauce. Together, they projected a unified vision of why Korat is shifting its role from a "transit city" to a new hub of business opportunity, technology, and innovation for the Isan region.

This forum served as a "thought starter" leading up to the Techsauce NEXT Entrepreneur’s Summit: The Gateway to Isan. This regional stage marks Techsauce’s intention to bring knowledge, networks, and business opportunities from the tech and startup world to the Northeast for the first time. Nakhon Ratchasima was selected as the starting point for expanding the entrepreneurial ecosystem beyond Bangkok.

The goal extends beyond hosting a seminar; it is designed to act as an "Accelerator." It aims to help Isan entrepreneurs step into modern businesses that effectively utilize technology and AI, while laying the foundation for Korat to become an AI City and the new Silicon Valley of the region.

The Government Starting Point: Why ‘Events’ Can Change a ‘City’

The first voice on stage came from Dr. Suratsa Thongmee Senior Vice President, Domestic Marketing and Partnerships at TCEB. She explained the rationale behind launching the Techsauce NEXT Entrepreneur’s Summit: The Gateway to Isan in Nakhon Ratchasima, emphasizing that this is not just a one-off event, but a strategic mechanism with significant implications for long-term urban and economic development.

From TCEB’s perspective, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) are not limited to gathering people for a short period. Instead, they are economic tools that bring business professionals, investors, and knowledge into an area, creating economic ripples and structural confidence.

“MICE is not just about organizing events; it is a business platform. Whenever an event enters an area, business people and knowledge inevitably follow,” Dr. Suratsa stated.

When a city demonstrates the capacity to host technology, digital, and AI events, it is effectively repositioned in the eyes of outsiders—shifting from a stopover or tourist town to a city with business potential, ready to connect with the new economy.

On this stage, TCEB made it clear: bringing Techsauce to Korat is a policy signal that this city is ready—in terms of infrastructure, human potential, and ecosystem—to step into a new role in the country’s digital economy.

Korat Is Not Starting from Zero: The Overlooked Assets

The conversation was grounded in local reality through the perspective of the Nakhon Ratchasima Chamber of Commerce. They pointed out that Korat is neither a small town nor a city waiting for distant future development. It is already a major economic city in the Northeast with "ready-to-use" structural assets, including a large industrial base, major SMEs, a population of over 2.6 million, and a GDP of approximately 300 billion THB.

Korat is also the only province in the Northeast where the industrial GDP share exceeds that of agriculture. This reflects a transition from a traditional economy to one driven by manufacturing, trade, and services. Simultaneously, the city is bolstered by new transportation infrastructure concretely linking Korat to Bangkok and other regions—ranging from motorways and dual-track railways to high-speed trains and the Dry Port project, which will elevate Korat to the logistics hub of Isan.

These structures ensure that Korat is not discussing the future as a mere concept, but is a city that is economically ‘ready for action’ and capable of supporting the expansion of business, technology, and national-level investment.

“Korat is no longer just the gateway to Isan; it is becoming the gateway to a metropolis of opportunity and the transportation hub of the region,” said Paijit Manasilp, Chairman of the Nakhon Ratchasima Chamber of Commerce.

Furthermore, the panel highlighted Korat’s strong digital economy components, such as being ranked a target city for global Digital Nomads, the appeal of areas like Khao Yai for high-quality global talent, and nearly a decade of continuous Smart City development.

In the Chamber’s view, Korat does not lack potential; it lacks the stage to connect that potential with national and global networks, knowledge, and business opportunities. Once the city has a space to present itself in the right context, Korat’s new role as a “Metropolis of Opportunity” will emerge concretely—not just as a vision, but through actual economic structural shifts.

Techsauce’s Role: From Event Organizer to Ecosystem Builder

With the city’s image clarifying, the next crucial question was: Who will connect all these elements? The conversation shifted to Techsauce, which clearly positioned itself not merely as an event organizer, but as an Ecosystem Builder for business and technology.

Techsauce explained that developing modern entrepreneurs cannot rely on fleeting inspiration. It requires a continuous path: creating awareness, building community, opening spaces for collaboration, and accelerating those ideas into actual businesses. This is especially true in an era where technology and AI have become essential tools for every industry, not just startups.

“Building an Ecosystem isn’t about hosting an event and lighting fireworks; it requires long-term collaboration to ensure that knowledge, networks, and opportunities occur continuously,” said Oranuch Lerdsuwankij, CEO of Techsauce Media.

The heart of creating a tech hub, in Techsauce’s view, is ensuring technology and AI are applied to real local businesses, rather than remaining abstract concepts discussed on stage. Khun Oranuch also highlighted a key factor for Korat: the presence of strong universities, such as Suranaree University of Technology, which produces a vast amount of high-potential talent.

The goal of bringing Techsauce and its business network to the area is not just knowledge transfer, but the creation of real job opportunities. This allows the new generation to develop their potential and create value for their hometown without needing to relocate to Bangkok.

“When there are more job opportunities in Korat, many young people won’t need to come to Bangkok. They can return to create value for the society and city they love. Therefore, Techsauce views its role as a bridge, connecting networks from Bangkok back into Korat,” Khun Oranuch added.

Sustainable Urban Development Starts with ‘People’

Throughout the discussion, one point was emphasized repeatedly: transforming a city for sustainable growth cannot start with technology alone. It must begin with changing people's perspectives. A city can only rise as a new center if the new generation believes their hometown is a place of opportunity where they can build their growth and future without having to leave.

Simultaneously, this transition must occur in the eyes of outsiders. Korat and the Northeast must be reimagined as cities of innovation and economy, ready to connect with the digital business world, rather than just transit points or tourism destinations.

In this context, “The Gateway to Isan” carries a deeper meaning than a geographical entrance. It signifies a gateway that opens the path for opportunities, capital, and knowledge to flow into the area, creating new value from within and rooting sustainable growth for the city and region in the long term.

From Stage Discussion to Tangible Next Steps

Moving from dialogue to concrete action, these concepts are being extended into the Techsauce NEXT Entrepreneur’s Summit: The Gateway to Isan. This regional mega-event sees Techsauce—Southeast Asia’s leader in tech ecosystem building—join forces with partners like TCEB and the Nakhon Ratchasima Chamber of Commerce. They are announcing the expansion of knowledge, networks, and business opportunities from Bangkok to the Northeast for the first time, strategically choosing Nakhon Ratchasima as the launchpad.

This event reflects the vision of “The Gateway to Isan,” aiming to unlock the Northeast’s economic potential through technology and innovation. It positions Korat as a model for an Innovation-driven Economy, ready to become an AI City and the region's new Silicon Valley, backed by a strong industrial base and the power of the local new generation.

The Techsauce NEXT Entrepreneur’s Summit will be packed with content and activities designed to “Inspire & Enable” entrepreneurs. It will feature panel discussions, workshops, business clinics, innovation showcases, and networking activities covering topics from AI for Industries, Business Transformation, and SME & Financial Clinics, to Digital Marketing and E-commerce.

The event will be held on March 15, 2026, at Korat Hall, Central Korat, Nakhon Ratchasima. It welcomes SME entrepreneurs, business heirs, startups, students, and anyone interested in being part of driving the Isan economy into the future.

If the panel discussion was the explanation of “Where Korat is going,” this event is the opportunity to witness the first concrete step on that journey.

To purchase tickets, follow additional news details, or apply to become a Partner for this event, please visit: https://summit.techsauce.co/korat/