Thailand Showcases Premium Shrimp at Phuket Event
Thailand held a major shrimp promotion event in Phuket last week to boost domestic consumption and establish Thai shrimp as a premium global brand amid struggling exports. The initiative featured over 20 vendor booths, competitions, and coo
On June 30, 2025, Witthayakorn Maneenetragul, director-general of the Department of Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce, announced the successful 'Thailand Helps Thailand Plus: Must-See, Must-Eat Shrimp' event held at Sanam Luang Saphan Hin Park in Phuket from June 24-28. The initiative was organized jointly with Phuket Province, the Thai Shrimp Association, tourism sectors, and the private sector to promote domestic shrimp consumption, position Thai shrimp as a world-class premium product, and assist farmers impacted by sluggish export conditions.
The event drew strong crowds of locals and tourists, featuring over 20 booths offering fresh shrimp from southern farmers, fresh and processed seafood, marketplace goods, and seasonal fruits. Activities included special pricing promotions, shrimp-catching games, shrimp-eating competitions, and cooking demonstrations. Witthayakorn noted this campaign is part of a broader strategy to elevate Thai shrimp's image as a premium brand and ensure consumers and tourists access quality, internationally certified Thai shrimp.
The Internal Trade Department has intensified marketing and consumption-promotion activities to absorb shrimp production and stabilize prices for Grade A and B shrimp domestically, while expanding sales channels and market linkages. With over 70 percent of Thai shrimp produced in southern Thailand—a region recognized for international quality standards—Phuket was chosen as an ideal location to connect quality farmer-produced shrimp directly with consumers and tourists.
Facing global economic slowdown that has dampened Thai shrimp exports, the Ministry of Commerce is accelerating domestic consumption measures alongside export market expansion, transforming challenges into opportunities. The department is opening direct sales channels for southern shrimp farmers, launching campaigns through over 4,630 retail and wholesale outlets nationwide, and partnering with over 1,000 hotels to promote southern-sourced shrimp. The department is also implementing market-linkage measures including purchasing points at production sites, connecting buyers with exporters and processors, organizing consumer campaigns under the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus program, and arranging seafood product caravans across regions. These efforts are expected to stimulate consumption and absorb at least 500 tons of shrimp production through multi-sector cooperation. Long-term plans include building an internationally recognized Thai shrimp brand identity and opening new markets while addressing structural challenges.
