A FLAVOURFUL SOFT POWER THAI FOOD AS A SOFT POWER VANGUARD MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 : APRIL 2023 GI Executive’s Talk GI Food Strengthen Sale Passing on Thai Identity by Fine Dining GI Dishes by Michelin Chefs GI Registration Songkhla Steamed Egg Yolks Songkhla Secret Formula for Deliciousness GI TRIP Strolling in Samut Prakan, Tasting World Famous Mango Sticky RiceGI EXECUTIVE’S TALK “GI Set Meal” Strengthen The Position to Increase Sale A Mission to pass on local Thai identities though fine dining menu from Michelin Star Chefs According to the latest “Global Soft Power Index 2022” by Brand Finance, it reflects another level of success of Thailand in promoting Thailand’s soft power as the country soared in the table, and is now ranked 35 among 120 countries appeared in the ranking, ranked number two in ASEAN and six among Asian countries. This confirms a strength in our cultural capital which could be developed to propel our economy to another level, particularly in our creative economy sector. This sector refers specifically to those with great potentials, loosely called 5F, that is, 1) Thai Food, 2) Films, 3) Fashion including contemporary and Thai traditional textile, 4) Fighting – Thai boxing, and 5) Festivals. All these are deemed as strong soft power that earns Thailand incomes and sustainability for communities. Department of Intellectual Property, as a directly responsible agency in elevating economic development and increasing national competitiveness with intellectual property, has realized the importance of promoting Thailand’s soft power by ‘Geographical Indication’ or GI as widely and popularly called. This has played a major role in driving Thailand’s soft power as Thailand now registers already 185 GI products, of which 150 are food and beverages, accounting for 82%, which all have connections to Mr. Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property geographical locations along with stories or local wisdom, so these result in special identities. Furthermore, these rights belong to the communities. With an ever-growing reputation of Thai food at international level, GI products easily find growth in recent years. Recently Department of Intellectual Property has been working towards bring Thailand’s GI products to combine with creativities to promote more attractions to food industry as well as Thai and international tourists through “GI Fine Dining with Michelin Star Chef” by inviting Chef Chalee Kader, Bib Gourmand Chef from Michelin Issue 5, APRIL 2023 Owner Department of Intellectual Property Ms. Kanitha Kungsawanich Deputy Director General Mrs. Kittiyaporn Sathusen Director of Geographical Indications Office Ms. Monchanok Tanasanti Trade Officer, Professional Level Ms. Yada Pasalaphan Trade Officer, Practitioner Level Pol.Cpl. Wawwow Chantra Trade Officer, Practitioner Level Ms. Maneerat Juirueng Trade Personnel, Experienced Level Ms. Nannapat Thitiworasab Trade Officer Ms. Nutthamon Kaeploy Official, Divisuin of Geographical Indications Ms. Suwanee Wichai GI Official Organizer Lifestyle and Travel Media Co., Ltd. 20/3 Soi Prasarnmitr, Sukhumvit 23 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110 Printed by Green Life Printing House Co., Ltd. 68 Soi Thian Thale 20, Bang Khun Thian- Chai Thale Road, Samae Dam, Bang Khun Thian, Bangkok Thailand 10150 This magazine is printed on the Green Ocean paper, using Soy Ink under the environmental friendly printing process that reduced CO 2 and equal turning off 10,890 bulbs in a day. Further information at www.greenlifeprinting.com03 ISSUE 5 : APRIL 2023 From “Global Soft Power Index 2022” by Brand Finance, Thailand is ranked 35 from 120 countries worldwide, and ranked 6 in Asia. This clearly shows that the strength in cultural capital can help develop national economy. gourmet innovations that excited all food influencers and gurus. Each tried and told their own stories through over 10 million followers they have, exposing GI products to even wider audiences. This also means to inspire food businesses and entrepreneurs to use more GI products to create their own menus, in turn, expand business opportunities for local businesses, farmers and producers of GI products. These are some parts of success in communicating Thai local identities to Thais and international society. The mission to promote Thai GI products is in no way limited only to food product group, but Department of Intellectual Property also continuingly supports and promotes GI handicraft products as well as GI industrial products in full scale; ranging from registering for IP protection, quality control to establish consumer confidence, and online and offline marketing supports. The Department truly believes that these attempts help add values to GI products and will become strengthening mechanisms for Thai soft power, increase economic opportunities, and bring more income to local communities and the country. Guide Thailand to create fine dining dishes at Wana Yook. This means to increase values of local products and propel Thailand’s GI products to be better known in wider contexts by using 23 GI products from all over Thailand featuring Pon Yang Khram Beef, Songkhla Lake Seabass, Salted fish Kulao Tak Bai, Bangbo Snakeskin Gourami, Tha Le Noi Phattalung Fermented Catfish, Photharam Preserved Radish, Chaiya Salted Eggs, Khao Niew Khiaw Ngoo Chiang Rai, Sangyod Muang Phatthalung Rice, Khao Kum Lanna, Khao Hommali Ubon Ratchathani, Phrik Bang Chang, Koh Phangan Coconut, Ratchaburi Aromatic Coconut, Phet Rose Apple, Mayongchid Nakhonnayok, Pet Non Thai Manila Tamarind, Khao Khiriwong Mangosteen, together seasoned with Sisaket Garlic, Sisaket Shallot, Bo Kluea Nan Rock Salt, Namtan Tanode Muang Petch, and Chanthaburi Pepper. All are meticulously prepared into unique dishes and desserts, starting with appetizers like Ma Hor Mayongchid, Manila Tamarind Grilled Pork, Bánh xèo, Nam Prik Long Rua, and Daily Relish, then main dishes featuring, Chicken galangal coconut soup (Tom Kha Kai), Stir-fried Nam Prik, Crispy Battered Small Shrimps, and Crispy Pork Lard, all served in the same dish in Omakase style. Green Papaya Orange Curry, Thai Beef Jerky in coconut sauce, grilled fish, Orm soup, fish meal relish (Pon Pla), Egged sticky rice cake (Khao Jee), blood cockle curry, salt and chili shrimp, fermented catfish spicy salad with young coconut. The final highlight was ‘Khao Gang Wana Yook’ consisting of Khao Khiriwong Mangosteen spicy salad, mince shrimp jungle curry, fermented soya and coconut dip (Lone Tao Chiew), Wana Yook fried egg, and Khanom Piakpoon. The Department, for this occasion, has invited many renowned famous gourmet gurus and food enthusiasts including Chef Chumpon Jangprai, UN Ambassador for Food Sustainability who created top menus to welcome APEC Meeting participants that Thailand hosted in 2022, Chef Nate – Nate- Umpai Sarakoses, Iron Chef Thailand panelist, Changnoi Kunjara Na Ayudhya The Cloud website founder, Peerapat Tulyadechanon – famous food blogger, the owner of ‘Eat with Pete’ Chonlathip Rayamas, Thailand’s top food influencer who won award from Influencer Asia 2015, etc. All gathered to try these meticulous menus created from top quality and unique GI products combined with Michelin chefs’ creativities and skills, resulting in new Thailand’s Geographical Indication Journal GI Thailand Magazine 04 Nakhon Si Thammarat Farmers are ecstatic after completing a big lot deal on ‘Pakpanang Tubtimsiam Pomelo’ while giving ‘Khao Khiriwong Mangosteen’ package, making it premium product. HE Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce along with other executives of Department of Intellectual Property, and Tops Food Business of Central Retails Chain, visited Nakhon Si Thammarat on 11 November 2022 to HE Sinit Lertkrai, Deputy Minister of Commerce, led the executives of Department of Intellectual Property to visit Surat Thani and Krabi during 22 – 24 December 2022 to grant GI status letters to ‘Surat Thani Turmeric’ and ‘Surat Thani Stinging Catfish’, Department of Intellectual Property visited and offered GI badges to ‘Surat Thani Turmeric’ and ‘Surat Thani Stinging Catfish’ and promised ‘Krabi Talay Hoi Durian’ for further GI registration. HE Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, led a group of foodie influencers and gourmet gurus to taste and enjoy a myriad of fine dining dishes from GI products in the event of GI Fine Dining with Michelin Star Chefs featuring Vuttikrai Leewiraphan, Director General, Department of Intellectual Property, Kanitha Kungsawanich, Deputy Director General, Department of Intellectual Property, Kitiyaporn Sathusen, Director of Geographical Indications Office, at Wana Yook Restaurant, from creations of Chef Chalee Kader, Michelin Bib-Gourmand Chef from Michelin Guide Thailand, on the past Thursday 09 March 2023, ‘Wanna Yook’, one of the top fine dining places in Thailand, utilized 23 GI products to create meticulously Fine Dining GI Dishes by Michelin Chefs sign a purchase agreement for 2023 produces of Pakpanang Tubtimsiam Pomelo at Koh Tuad Community Enterprise for 100 tons to be sold later in Tops, Tops Food Hall, and Jingjai Farmer’s Market nationwide. With the sweet tender pink meat similar to uniquely ruby color, this Pomelo has helped earn income for over 700 families for more than 238 million baht in the past year. Furthermore, in meantime, “Khao Khiriwong Mangosteen”, another top GI products got a new packaging design for Mangosteen farmers to improve GI products to premium level, along with traditional and online sale promotion with GI branded boxes to confirm the quality and standard of the products directly from the source. Khao Khiriwong Mangosteen generated income for local farmers for more than 123 million baht per year. very special dishes combining Thai and international cuisines such as Nam Prik Long Rua using Chaiya Salted Eggs, Manila Tamarind Grilled Pork, Bánh xèo with Photharam Preserved Radish, grilled Songkhla Lake Seabass, fermented catfish spicy salad with young coconut, Pon Yang Kharm Beef jerky, Khao Khiriwong Mangosteen spicy salad with Sisaket Garlic and Shallot, and Chanthaburi Pepper. 2 latest registered GI products, and planned to help expand market for these 2 products via Thailand’s leading modern trades for better distributing channels and more incomes. Furthermore, the team visited the area producing ‘Talay Hoi Durian’, famous Krabi products, before proposing GI registration later. This is a part of a wider attempt to register more GI products, in order to generate confidence of consumers, as well as to add more value to products, and ultimately bring more income to the local community in a sustainable way. Thailand’s Geographical Indication Journal 05 ISSUE 5 : APRIL 2023 From the special preparation according to local wisdom passing down for generations, Songkhla Steamed Egg Yolks become a local delicacy that everyone loves. Songkhla Steamed Egg Yolks or Khai Khrop Songkhla is a local delicacy of local communities in Sating Phra peninsula made by adding 2 duck egg yolk into 1 half shell, steamed to perfection. It will become reddish orange with glossy surface. It is available in 3 different doneness – lava, soft, and original. It tastes rich and faintly salty without fishy smell. This is a local wisdom of preserving foods, only available in 4 districts – Singha Nakhon, Sating Phra, Krasae Sin, and Ranot, of Songkhla Province. This menu was originally from local wisdom where most relied on fishery and duck keeping. So the way to preserve egg yolks in a half shell. Preserved in saline, and covered to prevent pests and dirt, the egg yolks were then dried in the sun, which now the process improved to steaming, instead of sundry, so quantity and quality controls are possible. Songkhla egg yolks are made from duck eggs raised in Sating Phra Peninsula, in the districts of Singha Nakhon, Sating Phra, Krasae Sin, and Ranot, of Songkhla Province, which is certified by Department of Livestock to reach good standard. They are fed by both industrial feeds and local natural supplementary good like shellfish, shrimp heads, small fry, small crabs, crab shell, or local seaweed found locally. Sating Phra peninsula is a unique geographic area as it is a flood plain with seas on both sides, on the east is Gulf of Thailand, and to the west a freshwater Songkhla lake. So the area is naturally rich with aquatic creatures and of great biodiversity, so it is a mix ecological system (a lake with 3 types of water – sea, brackish, and freshwater). This makes sea lives abundant, and a good source of supplementary feed for ducks, Hom Thong Nong Bua Daeng Banana resulting in high quality duck egg, big in size with strong shell, big bright red yolk with no fishy smell. It offers a unique rich taste, so distinctive even after processing. Now, Songkhla Steamed Egg Yolk has become very popular as it goes very well with traditional southern meals. So it has been widely known as a local dish, and only produced here in Songkhla. So it is registered as Thailand’s 198th GI product in March 2023 and it is another unmissable GI product. Nong Hiang Chonburi Jackfruit Talay Hoi Durian Daeng Mueang Loei Sticky Rice Siwgleang Mueang Loei Sticky Rice Thailand’s Geographical Indication Journal GI REGISTRATION The registered GI Products 2022 Songkhla Steamed Egg Yolks Songkhla Secret Formula for Deliciousness Nongkhaem White ChampakaGI Thailand Magazine 06 ZERO TO HERO For beef lovers, Pon Yang Khram Beef is surely a household name implying top quality beef, highly admired by various institutions. It was also selected to be a part of welcome banquet for APEC leaders participating APEC 2022. Pon-Yang-Khram Beef refers to top quality beef with red color and well marble, tender without foul smell, and taste good. The marbling score is 3.5 according to beef standard. The cattle is a hybrid of European and local breed. They are raised and processed according to international standard and Pon Yang Khram Cooperative of Sakon Nakhon, 8 districts of Nakhon Phanom, i.e. Nakae, Wang Yang, Pla Pak, Renu Nakhon, That Phanom, Nawa, Ponsawan, and Muang Nakhon Phanom, 4 districts of Mukdahan, i.e. Muang Mukdahan, Dong Luang, Khamcha-I, and Nong Soong, and 1 district of Bueng Kan, that is Seka district. Pon-Yang-Khram Breeding Cooperative NSC – Main Source of Jobs and Income for Community Samorn Phuphasri, a secretary, Pon-Yang-Khram Breeding Cooperative NSC, as one of the first employee of the Cooperative for more than 35 years, shared that “Pon-Yang-Khram Breeding Cooperative NSC was founded on 03 June Facebook : www.facebook.com/ ponyangkhrambreedingcooperative Tel. : 042 704677 Email : ponyangkharm@hotmail. com 1980, at Pon Yang Kham village, Noen Hom subdistrict, Muang Sakhon Nakhon District, Sakhon Nakhon to produce high quality beef. Back then in 1976, National Security Command, now Armed Force Development Command, wanted to help local communities to earn more, so it requested cooperation from French Embassy, by inviting Francois Dervaux, a cattle specialist to lay foundations for all ranging from breeding, selective breeding French Charolais, which had higher growth rate, docile, and kind, as a main breed for farmers, producing supplement feed for cattle from local grains, sending local staff to learn meat processing method in France and dividing into 17 different cuts, finding markets, and eventually establishing cooperative. Initially, we had 50 members to begin with, and now we are of 6,212 registered farmers with over 12,000 cattle. Strive for Global Acceptance Samorn told that earlier consumers did not accept the products as they lack of understanding of products. “Pon Yang Khram Beef is dry-aged beef, that is, we chill in cold storage at 2 – 4 Celsius for 7 days, so beef become juicier, better tasted with deeper flavor. For those who know, they are very pleased because of its international level quality, but back then some locals did not like it as it did not taste fresh as they used to. So we opened a restaurant to create understanding for them, to demonstrate that dry-age beef could be cooked as local dishes of all sorts, and we sold basic steak at a low cost 59 - 79 baht to make they could try themselves” At that time, Francois believed that if we produced top quality products, people will come to us. Now with all standards we obtained and GI registration by Department of Intellectual Property in 2016, all helps elevate consumer confidence in our products, diversify our customers, and make it easier for customers to purchase. Now we are top products of the Province even with Pon Yang Khram Beef festival. Furthermore, recently we were invited to prepare dishes for leaders participating APEC 2022. Now we have 5 distributing points, that are, at our Cooperative, which is our headquarter, Sakhon Nakhon city branch, Wanon Niwat branch, Pathum Thani branch, and Sukhumvit 33 branch. Besides, we sell through many modern trade stores and restaurants in Thailand. So far there is no export as our original aim to provide Thais high quality beef at a reasonable price, and give our members a solid occupation, better living standard, occupations for nearby communities, and a cooperative model earning income for local communities for others.” Samorn Phuphasri Pon-Yang-Khram Breeding Cooperative NSC Thailand’s Geographical Indication Journal Samorn Phuphasri Pon-Yang Khram Beef – Beef from Northeast Thailand Becoming a Legendary Beef Globally Admired07 ISSUE 5 : APRIL 2023 Facebook : https://www.facebook. com/granmonte Tel. : 092 806 7755 Email : marketing@granmonte.com Gran Monte has pioneered winemaking by Thais in Thailand, and eventually achieves international fame. Khao Yai Wine is a wine made from the fermentation of Vitis Vinifera grape juice that are locally grown, harvested, and processed by a set wine standard within a geographical area of Khao Yai, Pak Chong District and Wang Nam Khiao District of Nakhon Ratchasima, outside national park area. Khao Yai Wine is known to be very clear, not cloudy, with a clear color, scent, mouthfeel, and taste of individual grape variety. White wine will offer a taste of tropical fruit, ripe fruits, flowers, while red wine will be darker with a good ripen red berry, black berry, with a mouthfeel of medium to high tannin. The wine variety includes white, red, rosé, sparkling, and sweet wines. Gran Monte from Pioneer to Legend of Khao Yai Wine Suvisooth Lohitnavy from Gran Monte Vineyard and Winery, spoke about Gran Monte Khao Yai Wine that “we purchased our land to grow grapes for winemaking in 1999. Out of 100 rais of land, we grow grapes over 70 rais, and the rest are winery and other tourism business premises like restaurant and accommodation. After experimenting, learning, selecting, and creating, the first batch of Gran Monte vintage wine was produced in 2009. Now Gran Monte has produced already 26 labels of wins, which is a lot, and for this year, they will be 28, and we will keep rolling out new ones. Since GI definition of Khao Yai Wine is open to experiment, Vitis vinifera grapes that we have is right and safe for creating new wine labels. Furthermore, our winemaker, Visootha Lohitnavy, has enjoyed experimenting by making wine from new grape varieties and blending new wine or new style of wines. So we can develop new wine labels every year under the winemaking philosophy of maintaining character of each grape variety to the most.” Obstacles Create Identity – Khao Yai Wine Thailand’s Best Seller Winery business has very high cost but very limited marketing plan. Gran Monte then employs diverse marketing plans to be accepted and known better, by focusing on tourism in create exposure, learning, and personal experiences via personal recommendations, entering international wine competitions, winning numerous awards and eventually becoming better known. Another important factor that gains us interest is to obtain GI registration in 2018, now GI mark is on every bottle of our wine. This means to add value to products, to communicate with consumers that Gran Monte’s Khao Yai Wine has uniqueness, creativity, and development, it is a balanced mix of arts and sciences. We want everyone to enjoy and take pride of Thai product, made in Thailand, for Thai people. Besides, Department of Intellectual Property helps support us register Khao Yai Wine as GI product in EU in 2022 and helps us work with various government agencies like TAT, and recently Ministry of Foreign Affair. Our wines are solely selected to serve APEC leaders 2022. If one defines Thai wine as a wine made from grapes that are grown and made in Thailand only, Gran Monte is considered number in quantity, quality, and reputation. Now we have more distributing channels, the main one is at our vineyard as it is a main tourist attraction of Khao Yai where we can offer more knowledge about our products directly to customers. Our products are also distributed through restaurants and 5-star hotels in Bangkok and all major cities in Thailand as we intend our brand to be choices for domestic wines. So there is less than 10% of products to be exported. Thailand’s Geographical Indication Journal ZERO TO HERO Suvisooth Lohitnavy Gran Monte Winery Internationally Renowned Thailand GI Product Suvisooth Lohitnavy Marketing and Public Relations DirectorGI Thailand Magazine 08 Due to its ever-expanding business, Tops Destination attempts to answer all national food need by creating Jing Jai Farmer’s Market to create more spaces for Thai farmers and to sustainably increase household income. Pairoj Klaykaew, Head of Local Sourcing and Jing Jai Market, Central Food Retail, a Central Retail affiliate company, shared about the project “Jing Jai Farmer’s Market” which is under Tops’ supervision that “This project started 5 years ago to support local farmers to earn more and to have better quality of life by improving selling skills of farmers for better and more sustainable income. Our first market was at Udon Thani, then expanded to 32 branches in Central and Robinson nationwide. In Bangkok, there are 4 branches: Central Westgate, Central Chaeng Wattana, and flagship stores at Central World and Central Bangna. These are considered to rendezvous of best products from all regions, ranging from fresh vegetables, fruits, processed products, and ready to eat meals which are locally prepared. Tops opens new spaces for farmers and local small businesses to sell at Jing Jai Farmer’s Market. The distributed products by regional Tops outlets come directly from local farmers and producers who deal with Tops procuring teams, many contacted Tops themselves directly. The important point is that all products are safe and of highest quality, as well as fresh and sufficient in quantity as we must restock and refill shelves, except seasonal products like fresh fruits. Those rely on seasons and locality. Furthermore, GI products are about 20% because GI products are unique to such locations, furthermore they are good products promoted by Department of Intellectual Property. So they are trustworthy for quality, so Tops, as a distributor, has also tried to support and promote to Thai consumers to taste and consume safe products with local tastes, whether they are vegetables, fruits, and other processed products. Last years we helped distributed 97 GI products from 185 registered GI products, and more are to be registered. This year, we hope to distribute as many as 127 GI products.” Pairoj added that GI products are not only sold in Jing Jai Farmer’s Market, but also distribute to sell in Tops all over Thailand because “ Tropical fruits are plentiful in season, apart from selling Jing Jai Farmer’s Market, they are also available at Tops, Tops Food Hall, Tops Fine Food throughout the year such as pomelos whether it would be Pakpanang Tubtubsiam Pomelo or Chainat Khaotangkwa Pomelo, and Nam Dok Mai Khung Bang Kacho Mango, Petchabun Sweet Tamarind, Nont Durian, and other durians as well. These are seasonal and all products we source from the best places, often directly from farmers and producers to generate sustainable income and occupations. We are still in search for more new GI products to answer customers’ need all year round.” Finally Pairoj mentioned an ongoing special promoting campaign for GI products for local farmers that “Jing Jai Farmer’s Market in cooperation with Department of Intellectual Property to promote GI products to local consumers to know more and choose more GI products at Jing Jai Farmer’s Market at Central World Floor 1 which a hub for GI products, so any shoppers and customers aiming for GI products can find all here. The first event was on 29 March, and the next Jing Jai Farmer’s market event will be at Central Bangna, and we plan more in various locations for Thais to access better and know more of GI products.” Jing Jai Farmer’s Market Quality Product Market from Thai Farmers Pairoj Klaykaew Head of Local Sourcing & Jing Jai Market, Central Food Retail Co., Ltd GI & CO Thailand’s Geographical Indication Journal 09 ISSUE 5 : APRIL 2023 SPECIAL ARTICLE Department of Intellectual Property got a chance to welcome global leaders participating in APEC 2022 hosted by Thailand with 8 distinctive GI products from Thailand through unique dishes promoting Thailand’s GI products to be better known worldwide, and generate more incomes for local farmers and businesses. 8 GI Products as Soft Power on APEC 2022 Vuttikrai Leewiraphan, Director General, Department of Intellectual Property revealed that APEC 2022 in Thailand is another important opportunity in promoting identity and quality of Thailand’s GI products to be better known at international level among 21 APEC leaders. The Government selected GI products to participate in this event to express Thai identity though dishes from GI products consisting of Thung Kula Rong-Hai Thai Hom Mali Rice, Pon Yang Khram Beef, Salted fish Kulao Tak Bai, Hom Thong Phop Phra Banana, Nakonchaisri Pomelo, Chaiya Salted Eggs, and Khao Yai Wine. Besides, Pak Thong Chai Thai Silk is chosen to be made in various items including neckties and shawls, bringing prides to local farmers, craft artisans, and entrepreneurs as they could take parts in welcoming and hosting APEC leaders. This hopefully helps promote sales and generate more income as Thailand is now reopen. All 8 GI products have been famous and well admired by various customers. In the past, they have generated incomes to local communities for more than 820 million baht per year. So Department of Intellectual Property and its alliances are ready to promote further, particularly in registering them in more countries, in order that Thai products are better protected in major markets, to create more values for local community products, and drive grassroot economy to grow sustainably. 8 Top GI Products in APEC Thailand’s Geographical Indication Journal Hom Thong Phop Phra Banana The banana is curvy, resemble to L letter, with hard black tip, thin skin, consistently yellow throughout, firm texture, sweet and fragrant, grown in Phop Phra District, Tak Province. Thung Kula Rong-Hai Thai Hom Mali Rice Paddy, brown, and white rice are made from 105 Khao Dok Mali rice and Kor Khor 15 rice, both are grown in Kula Rong Hai area. The rice is long grain, fragrant, and thin, and naturally fragrant and soft when cooked. Chaiya Salted Eggs The yolk is crumble and rich with soft white egg and not strongly salty. It is traditionally and specially produced according to local wisdom of people of Chaiya District, Surat Thani Province. Pon Yang Khram beef The top quality beef is produced from a hybrid of European and local cattle though a refined raising, processing, and butchering according to international standards within Sakon Nakhon, 8 districts of Nakhon Phanom, 4 districts of Mukdahan, and 1 district of Bueng Kan. Nakonchaisri Pomelo Nakonchaisri Pomelo is of Thongdee and Khao Namphueng varieties with sweet and tart taste and no bitterness after. They are mainly grown in Nakhon Chaisri, Sampran, and Phutthamonthon districts, Nakhon Prathom Province. Salted Fish Kulao Tak Bai Widely cited as ‘King of Salted Fish’ , Takbai Kurao is known to be not too salty, firm, and fluffy when fried correctly with a distinct smell. It is made from Fourfinger threadfin by traditional method of Takbai District, Narathiwas Province. Pak Thong Chai Thai Silk This Thai silk is handwoven with hand loom with at least 40-inch- wide textile. The textile is tightly woven, shiny, and lasting. As it is finely made in traditional way, deemed a local cultural heritage in Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Khao Yai Wine The wine is processed from Vitis Vinifera grape variety grown, harvested, and processed according to the top winery standard within Khao Yai win region, Pak Chong and Wang Nam Khiao districts, Nakhon Ratchasima.Next >