What is “Thai Select”? 
Thai cuisine takes a pride of place in its natural heritage, practiced as an art form and handed down from generation to generation. Thai food not only tastes good but also looks beautiful, with intricate carvings and creative decorations. It’s always a hearty feast filled with fun and fiery flavours of Thai culinary creations.
In this tradition the Royal Thai Government and Thai Trade have bestowed the Thai Select label onto what is considered to be the best Thai restaurants in Australia and New Zealand.
To enjoy Thai dining, you don’t actually need to be in Thailand as the Royal Thai Government ensure that you can gain an authentic Thai experience by looking for the “Thai Select” logo. They realise the importance of maintaining high standards of quality, and have responded with this seal of approval.
“Thai Select” certifies that the food, the hospitality and the atmosphere of the restaurant is authentic. Chefs must be carefully trained in the preparation of benefice Thai meals*. Receiving this prestigious award isn’t easy; the bar is set high and the guidelines are strict. Still through training and inspections, high standard Thai restaurants worldwide have achieved this distinction.
So anywhere in your travels, look for the stamp of approval “Thai Select”. It assures you that delicious Thai cuisine is being served in a pleasant atmosphere, and with a famous Thai smile. It’s not just a meal; it’s a journey into Thai culture.
Thai food, International cuisine
Thai food has rapidly grown in popularity among casual diners and gourmets alike, earning it a status as one of the world’s most popular cuisines. And while most people think of spicy meals laced with chilli as the predominant factor in Thai food, this is far from the truth.
In all Thai dishes, there must always be a balanced harmony of flavours. Few cuisines can offer such a wonderful array of sensations that will delight and tease your taste buds quite like Thai food. Whether in a rich or fragrant Thai curry, spicy soup, savoury salad, or sweet dessert, the competing and complementary flavours create a harmonious blend that once tasted will never be forgotten.
Distinctive features of Thai food
At the centre of every Thai meal is rice, the staple of the Thai diet. The Kingdom is the world’s top exporter of rice, The finest variety is Thai Hom Mali Rice, which is widely recognised as the best in the world. Often imitated but never duplicated, this finest food grain is an important element in Thai dining.
And while Thai Hom Mali Rice is the basis of every meal, herbs and spices are surely the heart of the meal. It is these ingredients which provide a dazzling array of delicious and exotic tastes that make Thai cuisine so distinct.
In addition to chilli, it’s common to find garlic, lemongrass, basil, mint, and other herbs used in Thai cooking. In fact, if you order a medley of Thai dishes you will certainly taste these herbs in most if not all that is offered.
As with many cultures, Thai’s have used herbs and spices for centuries as essential remedies and medicines. Also, with all these natural mouth-watering ingredients, there is no reason for chemical or artificial additives, which is why Thai food is considered so healthy.
What makes Thai food extra special is it’s intricate balance of spicy, sweet, and sour. Tom Yam Goong, or “hot and sour prawn soup,” is a perfect example of blending tastes and flavours. This is a tasty, fiery soup featuring prawns, mushrooms, lemongrass, and other spices and may well be the Thai national dish.
Thai Cultural Heritage
It is the cultural heritage of the different regions of Thailand that contribute to so much variety. From the north we get delicacies like Pad Thai, or Thai-style fried noodles; from the south a wide variety of curries – green, red, and others; grilled meats from the northeast; and from the coastal regions fresh seafood.
If the great variety of meals and flavours of Thai cooking is legendary, so then are the preparation methods. Stir-fried and mixed together, grilled, steamed, boiled, deep-fried, or sun dried – skilled Thai chefs have perfected them all. 
For Thai restaurants
Objectives of “Thai Select” certification
- To recognise and endorse quality Thai restaurants.
- To increase the recognition of quality Thai restaurants.
- To encourage Thai restaurateurs to embrace a quality standard at an international level.
Categories of Thai restaurants certified as a “Thai Select” restaurant
- Traditional Thai Cuisine: Restaurants offering Thai cuisine with traditional recipe and maintaining traditional Thai style.
- Modern Thai Cuisine: Restaurants offering Modern Thai cuisine incorporating food of different countries such as Spaghetti served with Thai green curry sauce, or restaurants that do not serve food and have interior decoration that would be considered traditionally Thai style.
- Special Thai Cuisine: Restaurants offering specialty Thai cuisine.
- Chain restaurants with menus developed with co-operation from the Royal Thai Government* (Honourable “Thai Select”) and offering only Thai cuisine.
“Thai Select” restaurant criterion
- The restaurant must provide areas such as dining facilities, kitchen, restroom, etc. according to Health and Safety requirements.
- The restaurant must employ an experienced Thai Head Chef or a chef with no less than one year experience and training in preparing Thai cuisine.
- The restaurant must use an adequate proportion of Thai raw materials and equipment for preparation of Thai dishes.
To see examples of evaluation forms for Traditional Thai and Modern Thai Restaurants in PDF format, click at the links below.
Note: The examples may slightly different to the official documents and may or may not apply directly to type of your restaurants. They are available in Thai language only.
How to become a “Thai Select” restaurant?
If your restaurant in Australia and New Zealand meets a certain criteria on food quality and services mentioned above, please fill in the application form and mail / fax to “Thai Trade Centre”
Download “Thai Select” restaurant application here
