Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has commended the operations of Chulalongkorn University’s Halal Science Center and stressed the Government’s policy of boosting the export of halal food and non-food products.

He visited the Halal Science Center, Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok on 23 February 2023. This center is recognized as the first halal science agency ever established in the world. It also has branches in Pattani, Chiang Mai, and Nakhon Nayok provinces.

The Prime Minister said that the Halal Science Center is one of the proud agencies for Thailand and the Thai people, as it plays an important role in developing the standards of Thai halal products at the international level, and this has contributed to the growth of the Thai economy.

He called for more research and development by the center, so that Thai halal products would be expanded more extensively and become competitive in the global market. He cited food as one of the “5 Fs” in the Government’s soft power policy, saying that the development of halal food links with agricultural development and helps strengthen both the local economy and national economic performance.

He also underlined the importance of the packaging design of halal products, as attractive designs would draw the attention of consumers and would also add value to the products.

The Prime Minister thanked all sectors for their cooperation in developing the Halal Science Center and human resources, as well as other related activities, which provided greater economic opportunities for Thailand.

Since Thailand has adopted the policy of becoming the “Kitchen of the World,” the Halal Science Center has played an important part in assuring Muslim consumers all over the world of the safety of their food. Thailand has become one of top exporters of halal products in the world.

It exported halal food worth 4,188.37 million US dollars to 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2021, representing an increase of 4.12 percent from the previous year. From January to September 2022, the export value of Thai halal food came to 4,681.23 million US dollars, an increase of 64.65 percent over the same period of 2021.

Thailand also has great opportunities to increase its halal exports to non-Muslim countries, such as India, China, and Singapore.