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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Shahana Yasmin

One of world’s biggest music festivals has announced it is coming to Asia for first time

Tomorrowland will stage its first full-scale Asia edition in Thailand this year, bringing the Belgian electronic dance music festival to the region for the first time.

The festival will be held from 11 to 13 December at a 237-acre site in Pattaya’s Wisdom Valley in Chonburi province, the organisers announced on Tuesday.

Unlike the Belgian summer festival, Tomorrowland Thailand will not include on-site camping. Instead accommodation will be offered through hotel packages, with sales opening on 28 February, followed by a general ticket sale on 8 March.

Pre-registration for tickets will begin on 8 January, according to the festival’s website. A three-day “Full Madness Pass” will cost 12,500 baht (£296), while single-day tickets will be priced at 5,100 baht (£120).

Further details about the theme, stage design and artist line-up will be announced in the coming months.

According to a statement by Tomorrowland, Thailand was chosen for its “growing influence on the global stage of music, innovation, and experience-driven tourism”, and the festival was expected to have a “significant impact on the local and national economy”.

“Hosting Tomorrowland in Thailand marks an important milestone in our ambition to position the country as a leader in global tourism and creative experiences. We look forward to welcoming people from all over the world to discover the beauty, culture, and hospitality of Thailand,” the Tourism Authority of Thailand said in a statement, adding that it was partnering with the organisers to host the festival.

Founded in 2005 by brothers Manu and Michiel Beers, Tomorrowland began as a one-day electronic music event in Boom, Belgium, before growing into a multi-day annual festival attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees.

Beyond Belgium, the festival has had full international editions in Brazil and Tomorrowland Winter in the French Alps. An American spin-off called TomorrowWorld ran for three editions in Georgia from 2013 to 2015.

In Asia, Tomorrowland has previously appeared only through branded satellite events, including UNITE with Tomorrowland shows in Mumbai in 2017 and Shanghai in 2018, which streamed performances from Belgium to local venues. In November 2025, an indoor music showcase titled “The Magic of Tomorrowland” was held at the Hero Dome on Shanghai’s Huangpu Riverside, and brought international and Chinese DJs together for a two-night immersive show.

According to Thailand’s foreign affairs office, the government has finalised a five-year agreement to host Tomorrowland, with projected economic returns of 21bn baht (£497.9m) over the period. They are expecting around 50,000 attendees per day, and over 60 per cent are projected to be foreign tourists.

Fans have had their hopes up since last June when Thailand’s then prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met Tomorrowland International CEO Bruno Vanwelsenaers to discuss the ‘Tomorrowland Thailand 2026’ project.

In a statement at the time, Shinawatra said she wanted Thailand to be the “heart of the event” rather than merely a host venue.

“We want that in every sector, every event of the festival, there are as many elements of Thai culture and Thai people as possible, so that Thai people can get the most benefit from this event,” she said, according to an English translation of the statement.

The Belgian edition last year was disrupted by a fire on the main stage just days before its opening, though organisers said no one was hurt and the festival ultimately went ahead.

Fireworks seemingly ready for performances were also seen exploding into the air as local residents were urged to close all windows and doors until the fire was contained.

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