The government spokesperson revealed that Muay Thai and Thai cuisine are gaining interest in Europe, with over 4,000 gyms offering Muay Thai training across the continent. The government is advancing efforts to promote soft power to increase national income.
On 15 July 2026, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, stated that Muay Thai, Thai cuisine, and Thai cultural arts are "economic assets" that create opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs in the global market. The government is continuously promoting Thai soft power to transform cultural capital into income, trade, tourism, and employment, while expanding opportunities in the European market, which has strong purchasing power and growing interest in Thai culture.
The government integrates efforts across multiple agencies to promote Muay Thai, Thai cuisine, and cultural arts on the international stage, while creating business opportunities, increasing the value of Thai goods and services, and enhancing the country's competitive potential.
A concrete example is the promotion of Muay Thai, a key element of Thailand's soft power. The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) under the Ministry of Commerce organized Muay Thai promotion events in Germany and Switzerland, attracting over 530 participants in training and more than 20,000 attendees. “Buakaw Banchamek” joined to showcase Muay Thai techniques and raise awareness of Thailand's unique identity.
Moreover, the government is upgrading the standards of Muay Thai gyms abroad through the Standard Muaythai Gym (SMG) system. As of November 2025, 138 gyms worldwide have received certification. According to the Sports Authority of Thailand, there are currently about 4,000 gyms teaching Muay Thai in Europe, reflecting the sport’s growing popularity and increasing demand for Thai boxing instructors, sports equipment, and related Thai products. This supports sports tourism and travel to Thailand for Muay Thai training.
Thai cuisine is another soft power asset that continuously generates economic value. The government promotes restaurants certified with the Thai SELECT label, a quality mark guaranteeing authentic Thai food. Currently, over 1,500 Thai restaurants in 72 countries worldwide hold this certification, building consumer confidence and expanding markets for Thai food products, ingredients, and related goods.
The Food Institute forecasts that Thai food exports will be worth approximately 1.4 trillion baht in 2026. The European Union market is expected to grow by 15.9%, ranking second only to South Asia. This highlights the European market’s strong and growing demand for Thai food products. Promoting Thai cuisine and Thai SELECT restaurants is thus a key mechanism to raise awareness and open trade opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs.
At the same time, the Ministry of Culture, through the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, is presenting traditional and contemporary Thai performing arts such as “Nora,” a UNESCO-registered intangible cultural heritage, at the Thailand Grand Festival 2026 in The Hague, Kingdom of the Netherlands. Activities also include sharing knowledge of Thai performing arts with Thai communities abroad to foster understanding and connection with Thai culture internationally.
"Deputy Prime Minister Anutin emphasized that advancing soft power is not merely about promoting Thai culture but also about transforming cultural capital into economic value through tourism, product exports, job creation, and fostering appreciation of Thai identity, thereby expanding opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs in the global market," the spokesperson said.