Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Jiraporn Sindhuprai stated that the Government’s “One Village One Thai Food Chef” project would, in the initial stage, create economic value of at least 300 million baht for Thailand.

Ms. Jiraporn on 21 March was assigned by the Prime Minister to present certificates to the first batch of participants in the “One Village One Thai Food Chef” project after completing their training. The certificate presentation ceremony took place at the Royal Jubilee Ballroom, IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani, where a discussion was held on the topic of soft power in the food sector.

Speaking about the success of the first batch of trainees, she cited the project as part of the Government’s “One Family One Soft Power" policy, aimed at providing upskilling and reskilling training to promote the country’s soft power.

Under this project, a target has been set to train and generate employment for more than 75,000 people in the next four years, while increasing the national income of over five billion baht. The project is intended to upgrade the standards of local chefs, so that they will become professional chefs, with the use of Thai cuisine as a cultural ambassador to make Thailand better known.

Ms. Jiraporn said that the success of producing the first batch of chefs under this project was a starting point to strengthen the Thai food ecosystem to enhance the economic value. Thailand has great potential for becoming one of the global leaders of food production, as the country has raw materials of high quality and unique techniques of food preparation.

The Government aims to produce more chefs skilled in Thai cuisine in an effort to promote Thailand’s soft power globally, provide greater opportunities for Thai chefs to work overseas, and develop Thailand as the “Kitchen of the World.”

Thailand positions itself as the "Kitchen of the World” on account of its strength in the food industry. Food is also listed as one of the country’s soft power sectors that are receiving a major boost.