Deadline: 30-Jun-2026
Wiki Loves Earth Thailand 2026 is a national photography competition organized by the Wikimedia Thailand Chapter to document Thailand’s protected natural areas. Participants can submit up to five original photographs of eligible natural heritage sites, with prizes ranging from 2,000 THB to 10,000 THB and selected images considered for the international competition.
Overview
Wiki Loves Earth Thailand 2026 invites photographers and contributors to capture Thailand’s protected natural heritage and upload their images to Wikimedia Commons.
The competition supports free public access to high-quality images of Thailand’s biodiversity, landscapes, ecosystems, flora, fauna, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and conservation areas.
Submitted images may be used across Wikipedia and other Wikimedia Foundation projects under a free license.
Key Details
- Competition: Wiki Loves Earth Thailand 2026
- Organizer: Wikimedia Thailand Chapter
- Country: Thailand
- Platform: Wikimedia Commons
- Eligible entries: Original photographs
- Maximum submissions: 5 photographs per participant
- Minimum image resolution: 2 megapixels
- Main prize: 10,000 THB
- Total winning images: 9
- License requirement: Free license for public reuse
Focus Areas
The competition focuses on visual documentation of Thailand’s protected natural heritage.
Key themes include:
- Natural heritage sites
- National parks
- Wildlife sanctuaries
- Protected natural areas
- Landscapes
- Flora and fauna
- Biodiversity
- Ecosystems
- Conservation sites
- Wikimedia Commons photography
- Open knowledge
- Free public use imagery
Key Concepts Explained
What is Wiki Loves Earth?
Wiki Loves Earth is an international photography initiative that encourages people to document protected natural areas and upload images to Wikimedia Commons.
What is Wikimedia Commons?
Wikimedia Commons is a free media repository that stores images, videos, and other media files used by Wikipedia and related Wikimedia projects.
What is a Free License?
A free license allows others to reuse, share, and adapt an image, usually with proper attribution. For this competition, all submissions must be released under a free license so they can be used across Wikimedia platforms.
What is Encyclopedic Value?
Encyclopedic value means the image is useful for educational or informational purposes, especially for improving Wikipedia articles about natural heritage, wildlife, protected areas, and biodiversity.
Who is Eligible?
Participants must submit their own original photographs.
Applicants must:
- Create a Wikimedia Commons account.
- Upload photographs during the contest period.
- Submit only images taken by themselves.
- Submit images of eligible natural monuments or protected areas in Thailand.
- Use the official list of eligible sites.
- Release each image under a free license.
- Provide proper descriptions and site details.
- Submit no more than five photographs.
What Can Be Submitted?
Eligible submissions must depict natural heritage sites or protected natural areas in Thailand.
Photographs may include:
- National parks
- Wildlife sanctuaries
- Protected landscapes
- Natural monuments
- Conservation areas
- Flora within protected sites
- Fauna within protected sites
- Ecosystems and habitats
- Biodiversity features
Submission Requirements
Each submitted photograph must:
- Be original work by the uploader.
- Be uploaded within the official contest period.
- Depict an eligible protected area or natural monument in Thailand.
- Be based on the official list of eligible sites.
- Not have been previously uploaded to Wikimedia Commons.
- Not have previously won another competition.
- Have a minimum resolution of 2 megapixels.
- Include appropriate descriptions, such as location or site details.
- Be released under a free license.
Prizes and Awards
The contest offers cash prizes and electronic certificates.
Awards include:
- First prize: 10,000 THB
- Second prize: 5,000 THB
- Third prize: 3,000 THB
- Six honorable mentions: 2,000 THB each
- Electronic certificates for honorable mention winners
A total of nine winning images will be selected.
Selected winning images may be forwarded for international-level competition consideration.
How Entries Are Judged
Entries are evaluated by a jury of experienced nature photographers, wildlife photographers, and photography professionals.
Judging criteria include:
- Representation of natural heritage
- Relevance to protected areas in Thailand
- Photographic quality
- Composition
- Technical execution
- Creativity
- Originality of perspective
- Encyclopedic value for Wikimedia use
- Accuracy of location and descriptive information
Why It Matters
Wiki Loves Earth Thailand 2026 helps document Thailand’s protected environments for public education and open knowledge.
The competition matters because it:
- Promotes Thailand’s natural heritage.
- Improves visual documentation of protected areas.
- Supports biodiversity awareness.
- Expands freely licensed media on Wikimedia Commons.
- Helps improve Wikipedia articles.
- Encourages public participation in environmental documentation.
- Creates reusable educational resources for global audiences.
How to Participate
Step 1: Create a Wikimedia Commons Account
Participants must create or use an existing Wikimedia Commons account before uploading entries.
Step 2: Check the Official Site List
Review the official list of eligible natural monuments and protected areas in Thailand.
Step 3: Take Original Photographs
Capture photographs of eligible natural heritage sites, landscapes, flora, fauna, or ecosystems.
Step 4: Select Up to Five Images
Choose no more than five photographs that meet the contest rules and quality standards.
Step 5: Prepare Image Details
Prepare descriptions that include the site name, location, subject details, and context.
Step 6: Upload During the Contest Period
Upload the images to Wikimedia Commons within the official contest period.
Step 7: Apply a Free License
Release each photograph under a free license so it can be reused across Wikimedia platforms.
Step 8: Review Your Submission
Check that the image has the correct description, location, eligible site information, and license.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Participants should avoid:
- Uploading photographs they did not take themselves
- Submitting more than five photographs
- Uploading images outside the contest period
- Submitting images not listed as eligible protected sites
- Uploading images previously added to Wikimedia Commons
- Entering photographs that already won another competition
- Submitting low-resolution images below 2 megapixels
- Forgetting to add location or site details
- Using an incorrect or restricted license
- Providing inaccurate descriptions
Tips for Strong Entries
Participants should:
- Choose images with clear natural heritage value.
- Use sharp, high-resolution photographs.
- Show the protected area clearly.
- Capture strong composition and natural lighting.
- Include accurate site and location information.
- Highlight biodiversity, landscapes, flora, fauna, or ecosystems.
- Select images that can improve Wikipedia articles.
- Avoid heavy editing that reduces documentary accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Wiki Loves Earth Thailand 2026?
Wiki Loves Earth Thailand 2026 is a national photography competition organized by the Wikimedia Thailand Chapter to document Thailand’s protected natural heritage for Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia.
Who can participate?
Participants who create a Wikimedia Commons account and submit their own original photographs of eligible protected natural areas in Thailand can participate.
How many photographs can one participant submit?
Each participant may submit up to five photographs.
What type of photographs are eligible?
Eligible photographs must depict natural monuments or protected areas in Thailand listed in the official eligible site list. They may include landscapes, flora, fauna, ecosystems, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries.
What are the image requirements?
Images must be original, newly uploaded during the contest period, not previously uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, not previously awarded in another competition, at least 2 megapixels, properly described, and released under a free license.
What prizes are available?
The first prize is 10,000 THB, the second prize is 5,000 THB, the third prize is 3,000 THB, and six honorable mentions receive 2,000 THB each with electronic certificates.
How are winners selected?
A jury of nature, wildlife, and photography professionals evaluates entries based on natural heritage representation, photographic quality, creativity, encyclopedic value, and accuracy of descriptive information.
Conclusion
Wiki Loves Earth Thailand 2026 gives photographers and open knowledge contributors an opportunity to document Thailand’s protected natural heritage. By uploading freely licensed photographs of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, landscapes, flora, fauna, and ecosystems to Wikimedia Commons, participants help improve Wikipedia, promote biodiversity awareness, and make Thailand’s natural heritage more accessible to the public.
For more information, visit Wikimedia Commons.
