Service industry/Restaurants abroad :Thai Restaurants Abroad

Overview
- The Department of Export Promotion began promoting Thai restaurants abroad in 1998 when there were only 5,000 such establishments.
- From 2004 to 2006 the government Thai Kitchen to the World project had a great deal of success in increasing the number of Thai restaurants abroad, with their numbers increasing to 6,000 in 2004 and to 9,000 in 2006.
- The Thai Kitchen to the World project was inactive for nearly two years as a result of changes in the government. Nevertheless, the number of Thai restaurants abroad has continued to grow and there are now 12 thousand of them.
- In 2009, the Ministry of Commerce revived the second phase of project as part of the export stimulus plan, since Thai restaurants are popular in foreign markets. Promotion should yield rapid expansion and a clear direction towards opening new restaurants under the contemporary fast-food franchise model as more traditional high-class restaurants are less likely to succeed.
- During 2004 – 2008, the initial Thai Kitchen to the World project conducted many promotional activities to generate greater awareness of Thai food, to expand channels of distribution, to train personnel, and to expand the use of the ;Thai Select” trademark by Thai restaurants abroad.
- With the economic crisis spreading throughout the world, it is of the greatest importance that every country endeavor to restore confidence. Food safety standards are now the greatest concern in the global food industry and Thailand must therefore build consumer confidence in the safety of Thai food throughout the world. The second phase of Thai Kitchen to the World project has accordingly initiated the ;Confidence in Thai Food: Thailand Food Forward” strategy with a projected budget of two billion THB (62 million USD) and expecting clear results within one year. The strategy emphasizes the supply-side activities such as safety and quality standards at every food process, competitiveness enhancement in terms of production quality and campaigns building confidence worldwide.
- The Thailand Food Forward strategy includes several programs, including the Eat Safe program to clearly drive home the safety and quality of Thai food through road shows, Assured Quality Product (AQP) certification, developing premium distribution channels, a virtual market at www.foodfromthailand.com, a producers database of research, innovation and technology, a system of food safety standards including all existing standards throughout the world, such as GMP, HACCP, BRC, ISO22000, and a traceability system for every product (currently for shrimp and pineapple products).
- The strategy includes support the opening of new Thai restaurants abroad, monitoring not only the number of openings, but also the quality, taste and authenticity of the food, and the use of quality ingredients from Thailand. Qualifying restaurants will be awarded the Thai Select label, certifying that they are authentically Thai rather than ;Thai” restaurants run by Vietnamese or Lao making false-Thai food, and giving the impression that Thai food is not good. This project emphasizes monitoring restaurant quality, decor, and supporting personnel. Currently 1,161 of the over 12 thousand Thai restaurants abroad have been awarded the Thai Select label, the most in the United States with 414, followed by 153 in Germany, 137 in England, 81 in Japan and 45 in Australia.