City’s popular restaurant Laughing Buddha crowned with Thai Select Certificate

Dhaka: The Office of Commercial Affairs—Royal Thai Embassy, Dhaka and the popular restaurant Laughing Buddha jointly organised the Thai Select Certificate awarding ceremony on January 18 at the latter’s outlet in the city’s Gulshan area.

As the ceremony’s chief guest Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh handed over the Thai Select Certificate to Farazi Ghani, Chairman and Nayeemun Nabi Azad, Managing Director of Laughing Buddha.

Panom Thongprayoon, Charge d'affaires of Royal Thai Embassy, Dhaka was present at the programme as the special guest while Khemathat Archawathamrong, Director of Thai Trade Centre Dhaka and other diplomats from Royal Thai Embassy, Dhaka were also present on the occasion.

Thai Select is a mark of certification awarded by the Ministry of Commerce, the Royal Thai Government to guarantee the authentic Thai taste of Thai food products and Thai restaurants in Thailand and overseas.

This initiative helps people discover Thailand's traditional flavours and encourages chefs and restaurants to strive for the highest quality in food, ingredients, and service. Awarded restaurants focus on upholding traditional Thai methods of cooking and aim to include authentic Thai ingredients throughout their menus. Where ingredients from Thailand cannot be sourced, Thai Select restaurants substitute with local options that allow the flavours of Thailand to be honoured.

Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of Thailand to BD; Panom Thongprayoon, Charge d'affaires of Royal Thai Embassy, Dhaka; Khemathat Archawathamrong, Director of Thai Trade Centre Dhaka; Farazi Ghani, Chairman and Nayeemun Nabi Azad, MD of Laughing Buddha seen with the restaurant’s chef wearing the Thai Select Apron at the ceremony—Photo: Monitor

The award is divided in two categories; Thai ready-to-eat/ready-to-cook products and Thai restaurants. The "Thai Select Products" symbol is given to Thai food products that have been prepared in the traditional way. Samples of a few Thai Select Products were also showcased at Laughing Buddha during the ceremony.

The symbol is given to restaurants in three categories, assessed by the type of restaurant, decoration and the level of food and service excellence. The categories are Thai Select Signature, Thai Select Classic and Thai Select Casual.

Thai Select Signature is the highest level of accreditation, given to restaurants that exceed all of the criteria. Restaurants awarded this certification personify authentic Thai characteristic such as serving Thai food made with quality ingredients, offering an elevated setting and providing outstanding service. At present, Laughing Buddha has achieved this certification in Bangladesh.

Thai Select Classic goes to those establishments where the menu items embody authentic Thai cuisine and that provide excellent quality with considerably good service along with great value. Thai restaurants awarded the Thai Select Casual certification offer authentic Thai food but have limited services available.

Currently, 1,377 Thai Select certified restaurants are available across the world. There were four Thai Select certified restaurants in Bangladesh earlier. However, currently, Laughing Buddha and Thai Emerald, Gulshan are running while others shut down.

The Thai Select website (hitps://www.thaiselect.com/restaurants) has a full listing of all the accredited restaurants across the world as well as places to purchase imported products, information about Thai ingredients and a link to a cookbook that’s available for free download.

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