Sixteen Thai places made a global green list. Why is Doi Inthanon the one TAT is shouting about?

Cool-season travellers already know Doi Inthanon as Thailand's highest peak and a weekend escape from Chiang Mai's haze. On 3 November 2026 the Tourism Authority of Thailand said the national park had earned a place among the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories 2026, one of 16 Thai selections announced in Kranj, Slovenia.

The Top 100 list is not a hotel star rating. Green Destinations uses it to showcase practical sustainability stories from destinations worldwide. For residents and long-stay visitors, the useful question is which of those places you can actually visit this season, and what each was recognised for.

What Thailand won

Thailand secured 16 Top 100 Stories selections. Three destinations also received Bronze-level Green Destinations Awards: Ko Tao in Surat Thani, Mae Puem National Park in Phayao, and Uthai Thani Old Town. The Department of Tourism led the Thai delegation at the Green Destinations Global Conference, held from 27 to 29 October 2026.

Doi Inthanon was put forward under TAT's Sustainable Product Prototype 2026 Chiang Mai Prototype. TAT coordinated the application and the park's best-practice story. Nine of the other Top 100 places were supported by the Department of Tourism, and six by the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA).

Places you can plan around this cool season

What this changes for a weekend trip

Recognition does not rewrite park fees or open new roads. It does signal that these places are being managed with international sustainability criteria in mind, from watershed forests to community livelihoods. On Doi Inthanon that includes montane forest protection and local Pakayor and Hmong producers selling cool-climate vegetables and drip coffee to visitors.

• Check the Department of National Parks site for current Doi Inthanon entry rules and trail closures before you go.
• Kew Mae Pan and the twin pagodas remain the classic day-trip circuit from Chiang Mai; go early on weekends.
• Pair a Doi Inthanon day with Mae Wang or Khun Khan if you want other Chiang Mai parks on the same green list.
• On the islands, Ko Tao's Bronze Award is a separate recognition from the Top 100 Stories list.

Why TAT is leaning on Doi Inthanon

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool framed the selection as a way to share Thailand's sustainability work through international networks and to push more destinations toward the same standards. For expats based in Chiang Mai, it is also a reminder that the cool-season hills are being sold abroad as responsible-travel products, which can mean more day-trip traffic on clear weekends.