Thailand aims to ensure quality of Thai Restaurants overseas

Thai cuisine has carved in niche in the international gourmet market, and to ensure the quality of Thai restaurants overseas, the Thai government recently launched the Thai Select campaign in London.

The event, held on 1 September 2003 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Chatusripitak, Thai Trade Representative, Goanpot Asavinvichit, Permanent-Secretary of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Banpot Hongthong, and TAT Governor, Jutamas Siriwan. 

The launch was conducted in the presence of representatives of over 400 UK-based Thai restaurant entrepreneurs. On this occasion, the Thai Select award was presented to restaurants that passed a stringent test chaired by judges from both the public and private sectors. Participants were also introduced to a display of food ingredients, both fresh and dry, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, an exhibition from the One Tambon One Product (OTOP),project from the Department of Export Promotion and the SME Promotion Office.

Mr. Somkid said that the “Thai Cuisine to the World” campaign was devised in order to help promote Thai food as one of the world’s leading culinary traditions. The goal was also to increase its popularity from its current fifth place to second place by the year 2007, and to increase the number of Thai restaurants of reputable standard worldwide.

The event was held to officially launch the campaign in the international market to inform restaurant entrepreneurs as well as potential investors of the government’s new policy to aggressively promote Thai food. This in turn is expected to enhance the image of Thailand as well as set standards for Thai restaurants worldwide.

The Thai government also appointed a committee to select a number of Thai restaurants that met the set criteria for quality, and award them with the “Thai Select” seal of approval.

The judging committee comprises representatives of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Department of Export Promotion, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Public Health, and the Food Institute. On this occasion, a total of 17 restaurants in England were awarded the Thai Select seal, ensuring the quality of the food and establishment.