Thai SELECT: Soft power on the palate

A mouthful to say perhaps, but the ‘Thai SELECT Restaurant Capacity-Building and Networking Program’ is the Department of International Trade Promotion’s (DITP) initiative to ramp up Thai restaurant entrepreneurship overseas – and ultimately boost the country’s soft power through world-class Thai cuisine.

Busy connecting 15 overseas Thai SELECT restaurant entrepreneurs – stretching all four corners of the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and ASEAN – this new series of integrated culinary activities study Thai food culture at its source, in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, visiting historical sites and delving into Thai culinary science at Dusit Thani College. 

Importantly, participants have also had the chance to network at the THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 event and link up with quality Thai food producers also under the Thai SELECT banner to discuss the evolution of the Thai food industry. The value of this connectivity was demonstrated when entrepreneurs were able to provide first-hand, experiential updates on contemporary Thai restaurant trends overseas and exchange business perspectives with experts and other leading local restaurant entrepreneurs.

The Thai SELECT marque, an international standard certification, evaluates taste, quality of ingredients, correct Thai cooking techniques according to authentic recipes, and appropriately reflected Thai-ness in a restaurant’s overall operations.