Thailand's new initiative to revive and certify hidden regional dishes for international appeal

Thailand’s Ministry of Culture launches a campaign and certification system to shine a spotlight on its lesser-known regional dishes, aiming to boost tourism and preserve culinary traditions amid growing global recognition.

Thailand is turning its attention to the dishes that too often disappear quietly from everyday menus, as the Ministry of Culture’s Department of Cultural Promotion launched a new push to take local food from regional memory to a wider international audience. Under the banner "Thai Local Food to World Food" and the motto "The Lost Taste: The Living Heritage", the scheme is designed to revive recipes, ingredients and cooking traditions that have become harder to find, while also giving travellers a reason to seek them out. According to the department, the wider project has already documented 231 at-risk dishes from all 77 provinces.

The latest stage of the campaign introduces the "Thailand Best Local Food" mark, a selection and certification system intended to help diners identify restaurants that preserve regional identity while meeting a higher service standard. The department says the label was developed with input from specialists and consumers and divides the winners into two categories: "Classic", for restaurants that protect traditional recipes and presentation, and "Creative + Innovation", for places that reinterpret old dishes without losing their cultural core. That approach is meant to make local food easier to find for both Thai diners and visitors planning food-led trips.

Five model restaurants were chosen after a wider call that drew more than 170 applicants, with the final list spanning Bangkok, Phuket and Ubon Ratchathani. The Classic selection includes Khao San Saek in Bangkok for kaeng ranjuan, Toh Daeng in Phuket for yam ya naad, Bocha Gallery and Restaurant in Phuket for khao niew luang, and Mok in Ubon Ratchathani for woon tan nam kathi. Bo.lan in Bangkok was named in the more contemporary category for its fermented fish “lon” dish, showing how the project wants to balance authenticity with a modern dining experience.

For travellers, the value of the programme lies not just in the food itself but in the places and stories behind it. Officials say the campaign is intended to spread tourism income beyond the main hubs and encourage visitors to explore local communities through cooking traditions, ingredients and seasonal specials. The department plans promotional activity from August to October 2026, with September’s "The Lost Taste Restaurant Month" set to be the main draw, when the five restaurants will serve special menus and related offers. Thailand’s food reputation is already strong: Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index 2026 ranked the country seventh for "food the world loves", giving the campaign a timely platform.