Does T-pop No Longer Run Only Through Bangkok?
- Valentina Bonin
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
On 5 September, CAT EXPOP will bring seven hours of live music to Chiang Mai. It is not yet proof of a decentralised industry, but it is an important test of whether Thailand’s pop fan economy can support ticketed events beyond the capital.
On 5 September 2026, from 4:00 pm to 11:30 pm, the Chiang Mai University Convention Center will host the first edition of CAT EXPOP, a new Cat Radio format dedicated to T-pop.
PROXIE, PERSES, PiXXiE, DEXX, DAOU–OFFROAD, KENG–NAMPING and TLE–FIRSTONE will perform on a single stage. Tickets range from 900 to 3,000 baht.
Choosing Chiang Mai does not prove that Thailand’s music industry has already decentralised. It does, however, show that organisers and promoters are testing whether fandoms built online, and largely sustained by a Bangkok-centred system, can support ticketed concerts in regional cities.
An Event Built for the Fan Economy
The CAT EXPOP lineup does not consist only of idol groups. Alongside acts such as PROXIE, PERSES, PiXXiE and DEXX are artist pairings whose popularity is also connected to the BL series ecosystem.
The combination reflects how contemporary T-pop operates. Music, television series, fan meetings, sponsorships and digital content do not function as separate sectors; they feed the same commercial circuit.
CAT EXPOP appears designed for precisely this audience: young, accustomed to following artists across different platforms and willing to spend on tickets, merchandise and live experiences.
According to SCB EIC data reported by The Nation, major T-pop concert series in Thailand increased from 37 in 2024 to 51 in 2025. More than 30 had already been organised during the first half of 2026. Streaming remains essential for building visibility, but concerts and fan meetings have become a decisive part of the sector’s economy.
Why CAT EXPOP in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is not a cultural blank space waiting for Bangkok to arrive. It is a university city with its own musical history, independent venues, festivals and a developed creative community.
It has belonged to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for Crafts and Folk Art since 2017. Its scene has also contributed to the development of artists and bands including POLYCAT, ETC., Solitude Is Bliss and Yonlapa.
The local ecosystem nevertheless remains fragile. Audiences are fragmented, and many musicians gain national visibility only after moving through the capital.
Chiang Mai already hosts major music events. In May 2026, the free Chiang Mai Music Journey 9 festival brought PiXXiE, Ink Waruntorn, Nont Tanont, Bodyslam and Slot Machine to the city. CAT EXPOP is therefore not Chiang Mai’s first major pop concert.
The difference lies in its model: a ticketed event built entirely around T-pop and the willingness of regional fandoms to invest in a live experience.
From Chiang Mai to a Possible National Circuit
Chiang Mai will not be the only stop. A second edition is scheduled for Korat on 10 October 2026, while Hat Yai has been announced for 13 March 2027.
The three cities, located respectively in the North, Northeast and South, suggest that Cat Radio is attempting to turn CAT EXPOP into a repeatable circuit.
The project decentralises audiences by reducing the need to travel to Bangkok, and it decentralises events by taking the same format to different parts of the country. It does not yet redistribute the industry’s power.
Taking Concerts Beyond the Capital Is Not Enough
The Chiang Mai lineup is built around nationally promoted artists. CAT EXPOP is not presented as a showcase for the local music scene.
Bangkok therefore continues to produce most of the names, strategies and formats, while regional cities become new places in which to consume them.
CAT EXPOP does not yet prove that T-pop has moved beyond its traditional centre. It does, however, show that the industry is beginning to test whether its audience can sustain new circuits—first across Thailand’s regional cities and perhaps, in the future, beyond the country’s borders. Could a festival entirely dedicated to T-pop one day arrive in Italy? It is still too early to say, but Chiang Mai may be one of the first tests worth watching.
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