Mrs. Aromorn Traiphutham, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, revealed that the Department of Business Development is currently accepting applications for Thai restaurants to apply for the Thai SELECT symbol. Thai restaurants must pass the consideration of a panel of qualified judges from both the government and private sectors, such as the Thai Chefs Association, Dusit Thani College, Wandee Kitchen Technology College, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Airways Kitchen, and Chef’s Club by Makro, together with government experts, to ensure that the consideration is transparent, comprehensive, and standardized. The assessment will consider indicators in various dimensions, starting from the taste of the food, which must maintain the authentic Thainess according to the original recipe, conveying the identity and wisdom of Thai cuisine truly, along with the selection of quality, fresh, new, and safe ingredients, maintaining hygiene and cleanliness standards in every area of ??the restaurant, whether in the kitchen, dining room, or bathroom, all of which are important things that reflect the attention to detail of the entrepreneur, including the decoration and atmosphere in the restaurant must reflect Thainess, creating a warm feeling and a good experience for customers. What is also indispensable is professional service, caring and respecting consumers at every step.

The qualifications for restaurants applying to join must include: It must have been in operation for at least 6 months, have at least 10 seats in the restaurant, have at least 70% of the menu items made up of Thai food, and have a Thai head chef. If not, a Thai chef must have a certificate of experience in cooking Thai food, and the restaurant must have a clean, hygienic environment and a good image. If the restaurant has multiple branches, each branch must apply separately. The Thai SELECT symbol is valid for 3 years from the date of certification. In addition to the Thai SELECT symbol helping to create awareness that Thai restaurants are accepted by Thai food tasters and foreign tourists, which is considered a form of soft power, the department also has marketing activities to connect restaurants with domestic and international tourism, such as organizing sales promotion campaigns, public relations through online and mass media, and participating in Thai food exhibitions, which will help increase business opportunities for entrepreneurs and build confidence among consumers on a wide scale. In 2025, it is expected that more than 100 Thai SELECT restaurants will be created. Thai restaurant entrepreneurs interested in participating in the activity can apply at www.dbd.go.th, select the Public Relations topic, and inquire for more information at the Service Business Promotion Division, Service Business Division. Department of Business Development, Tel. 0 2547 5954 e-Mail: thaiselectdbd@gmail.com,” concluded Director-General Aromman.

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