Thailand Pushes Thai SELECT Brand in China via TV and Influencers
Thailand's trade promotion department is boosting Thai SELECT brand awareness in China through a televised cooking competition on Guangzhou Television and influencer campaigns on major Chinese social media platforms.
The Department of International Trade Promotion is moving forward to expand the Thai food market in China by partnering with Chinese television to host a Thai cooking competition that promotes the Thai SELECT brand. The campaign leverages key opinion leaders and influencers on popular Chinese social media platforms including Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Weibo to increase brand awareness, stimulate consumer interest in Thai restaurants, and boost long-term Thai food business opportunities in China.
On August 12, Sunanta Kangwalkulgit, Director General of the Department of International Trade Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce, announced that she has instructed commercial attaches stationed worldwide to accelerate the expansion of Thai products and services in line with policy set by Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supa Juea Sutthiramphan. The department recently received a report from Prapaporn Srihere, director of the Trade Promotion Office in Guangzhou, China, detailing the successful results of Thai food and Thai SELECT brand promotion activities in the Chinese market, which have increased consumer awareness and driven trial of Thai restaurants and Thai SELECT-branded establishments.
Commercial attaches organized a Thai cooking competition at 1906 Young Town Plaza in Guangzhou to film a special episode of the Chinese television program "Wo Ai Fan Xun Wei" (In Search of Flavor) for Guangzhou Television. The broadcast aims to showcase the appeal of Thai food and Thai SELECT restaurants to reach Chinese consumers widely through television media, while simultaneously generating momentum on China's leading social media platforms. Thai food culture serves as a bridge to create experience and awareness of Thai SELECT among Chinese consumers through entertaining cooking competition content that is easy to understand and fun, allowing viewers to observe Thai cooking techniques, ingredients, and authentic Thai seasonings.
The event was honored by the Consul General in Guangzhou serving as honorary judge, with Thai commercial attaches and officials as judges, alongside Chinese partners including executives from Guangzhou Premium Food Week and management of 1906 Young Town Plaza. Two Thai restaurants carrying the Thai SELECT certification, eight shopping mall representatives, and two trade association representatives participated, reflecting strong cooperation between Thai and Chinese partners in promoting Thai food and restaurants in the Chinese market. The event attracted significant interest from consumers and tourists in the 1906 Young Town Plaza area, bringing Thai food promotion directly to local consumer groups.
The highlight of the event was a Thai cooking competition in television format featuring popular Thai dishes and Thai SELECT-certified products. Thai chefs from Thai SELECT restaurants and Chinese chefs experienced in Thai cuisine demonstrated the charm and unique characteristics of Thai food to Chinese viewers. The competition format not only provided entertainment but also told the story of Thai food through the real experience of competitors and chefs, allowing Chinese viewers to gain deeper knowledge of Thai cuisine beyond seeing finished dishes. Viewers witnessed ingredient selection, cooking methods, and the meticulous attention to creating authentic Thai flavors. By filming the activity as a Chinese television program, the promotion reaches audiences far beyond the event venue.
