BANGKOK: Thai cuisine is loved by many people all over the world. The Government of Thailand develops this as its soft power to positively influence the good image of Thailand internationally.
This is a great lesson for other countries in Southeast Asia to learn from Thailand’s great food cuisine forte.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) Sunanta Kangvalkulkij said: “Thailand works closely with Asean countries. The Thai Government has declared Thailand as ‘The Kitchen of the World’ and this is a government policy to support the food sector and the whole supply chain.”
She said so twenty years ago, the ‘Thai SELECT’ as a mark of certification awarded by the Ministry of Commerce of the Royal Thai Government to guarantee the authentic Thai taste of Thai food products and Thai restaurants in Thailand and overseas made Thai cuisine renowned globally.
“Now, we want to give some kind of award like one-star, two-star, and three-star rankings like the Michelin ratings, for people to select. This plan may later be realised after two months. There may also be recognition rankings for Thai street food.”
Thai cuisine contributes to stimulating the national economy and advancing Thailand’s culinary soft power. Thai food is a cultural asset that connects tourism with local wisdom and tradition, passed down through generations and celebrated globally for its unique flavours.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Sunanta revealed that the DITP has 58 Thai Trade Offices around the world to promote Thai products globally. DITP offices and Thai restaurants worldwide serve as ambassadors to the world as the government policy is to support the Thai food sector with a prestigious certification system established by the Thai government to recognize and promote authentic Thai cuisine around the world.
According to Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, there are about 20,000 licensed eateries in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the government boosted GDP through tourism last year as the number of foreign visitors exceeded the target of 35 million, generating more than 1.7 trillion baht or about 17 per cent of Thailand’s GDP.
Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});2025 has been designated as “Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism & Sport Year as tourism is one of the key strategies to drive the country’s economic growth. The Thai government aims to attract 39 million international visitors this year.
The Thai government is also committed to promoting soft power by making the most of local wisdom with the support of innovation and highly skilled workers to add value to Thai products and services, and will welcome business matchmaking with other business people from other countries.
When people think about Thai food, they might recognize Phad Thai, Som Tum, or Tom Yum Goong. But actually, there are many Thai dishes that are worth enjoying. Look for the stamp of Thai Select award. It serves as an honourable certification to confirm the top-notch and true-to-roots Thai restaurants around the globe.
Similarly to Michelin guide award, Thai Select ranking is only provided to Thai dishes and guarantees that all awarded dishes or restaurants are cooked from authentic Thai ingredients. So, the customers can taste the real flavour of Thailand.
For tourists from other countries, this award acts as a reliable clue for finding good Thai restaurants during their trip to Thailand or overseas, ensuring a fantastic and authentic Thai culinary experience.
