Thailand – MARKETECH APAC has unveiled the initial line-up of the jury panel for the NEXT Awards Thailand 2026, marking the inaugural launch of the awards programme in the Thai market.
The panel brings together a cross-section of senior marketing, brand, and customer experience leaders tasked with evaluating and recognising standout work shaping the future of marketing in Thailand.
As the first-ever Thailand edition and part of the broader NEXT Awards Series, the NEXT Awards Thailand 2026 expands the programme’s regional footprint, reinforcing its mission to spotlight marketing excellence across the Asia Pacific.
With a focus on “Shaping innovation, the future of marketing”, the awards will highlight campaigns and initiatives that demonstrate how brands and organisations are adapting to a rapidly evolving marketing landscape, particularly in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic consumer markets.
The programme serves as a platform for Thailand’s marketing ecosystem, offering brands, agencies, and technology organisations the opportunity to showcase work that delivers both creative distinction and measurable business impact.
This year’s inaugural jury brings together leaders from across manufacturing, technology, FMCG, financial services, transport, and travel services brands. Their collective expertise will play a critical role in identifying work that sets new benchmarks for marketing effectiveness and innovation in Thailand.
The first set of jury members are the following:
- Leslie Luk, Regional Marketing Director, APAC at Dairy Queen
- Inura Jayasuriya, Head of Marketing – South East Asia and Far East Asia at Flora Food Group
- Pavarisa Chumvigrant, Chief Marketing Officer at FWD Life Insurance Public Company Limited
- Panomkorn Jirasatienpong, Marketing Director at Grab Thailand
- Kittinai Viputthikul, Head of Regional Marketing (Southeast Asia and Hong Kong) at Kraft Heinz
- Patchneewan Tanprawat, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s Thailand
- Anuraag (Ragz) Agarwal, Head of Marketing at Mondelēz International
- Adchana Chaiteerapinyo, Director Marketing – APAC / MEA / India / Central Asia & Turkey at Rhenus Group
- Jayden Purna, Product and Marketing Director at Trip.com
- Swita Charanasomboon, Marketing Director at Valvoline Global Operations
The NEXT Awards Thailand 2026 presents a total of 49 categories, encompassing standout campaign executions; agency excellence; and individual and team accomplishments, as well as the highly sought-after Brand, Agency, and MarTech Grand Prix distinctions.
The Grand Prix awards will spotlight the leading brands, agencies, and technology providers that achieve the highest cumulative scores across various categories. All scores submitted by the judging panel will be reviewed and validated by the head of the jury, who holds final authority in confirming the official list of finalists and winners.
A defining feature of the NEXT Awards is its tournament-style structure. Winners of Bronze, Silver, and Gold in Thailand will have the opportunity to advance to the NEXT Awards Asia Pacific 2026, where they will compete against top entries from other markets across the region.
This structure ensures that Thailand’s strongest marketing work is elevated beyond the local stage, allowing winners to benchmark their excellence against the best campaigns and strategies across Asia-Pacific.
Building on the success of previous editions in markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and the Asia-Pacific grand finale held in 2025, the NEXT Awards continues to strengthen its position as a regional benchmark for marketing excellence.
The NEXT Awards Thailand 2026 gala night is scheduled to take place in September 2026.
NEXT Awards 2026 also accepts entries from Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Singapore and the rest of the Asia Pacific.
For nominations, sponsorship, or judging enquiries, interested parties may visit the official website or contact MARKETECH APAC’s Awards Team at [email protected].
