"Our Malaysian counterpart has copied our whole process, from cash incentives through to providing know-how support to restaurateurs," said Chakarsit Kaewvilai, executive coordinator of TFW, a government programme initiated along with Bangkok Fashion City by the previous government.

Three months ago, a Tourism Malaysia entourage visited the Thai Food to the World office in preparation for the launch of "Malaysia Kitchen", said Chakarsit.

According to a report in the New Straits Times on Saturday, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak has announced that the government would offer financial incentives such as cheap loans and tax breaks to entrepreneurs who wanted to open Malaysian restaurants abroad. Already 130 million ringgit (Bt1.3 billion) has been pumped into its Export-Import Bank for the "Malaysia: The Truly Asian Kitchen" programme.

The blueprint was not very different from Thailand's "Kitchen of the World" initiative.

Malaysian embassies and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) offices abroad will act as advisers and guides for restaurateurs. Yet no one at the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok is aware of such a programme. Khoo Boo Seng, economic counsellor, is presently in Malaysia and not available for comment.

The Malaysian cuisine's diversity - a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Eurasian - is a double-edged sword. Many Malaysian restaurants abroad often appear under the big umbrella of Asian food, or Malaysian food with an ethnic prefix - for example, Chinese-Malaysian food - said Chakarsit.

Malaysia's aim of having 8,000 Malaysian restaurants worldwide by 2015 seems to be a far cry from the current 11,037 known Thai restaurants dotting the globe.

Chakarsit hopes that Thai food - with its distinctive identity - will win over foreigners' taste buds through its delicate preparation and attention to detail.

"At a food exhibition in France, visitors were awe-struck by our Thai chefs' meticulous food engravings.

"We need to continuously educate chefs in Thai restaurants around the world on how to cook orthodox Thai dishes. For instance, I have experienced a case where the chef put ginger in Tom Yam Gung instead of the supposed galangal," he said.

Not only do the food suppliers benefit from such promotional ventures, but also other Thai industries, particularly in the arts and crafts. Thai restaurants need Thai decorative items to brand themselves.

But one must not underestimate Malaysia's secret religious-cultural weapon, he said, adding, "Malaysia's strength lies in halal food."

Recently the Malaysian government injected M$25 million to the newly created Halal Industry Development Corporation as part of its budget for 2007.

Halal is an expanding market. Recently Tesco in Britain alone ordered US$272.3 million (Bt9.9 billion) worth of halal products from Malaysian companies. The global market value for halal food and non-food products is estimated at $2.1 trillion, according to Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency.

Despite being a primarily Buddhist country, Thailand can be a credible halal food producer, said Samai Charoemchang, president of the Institute of Halal Food Standard of Thailand.

"The Halal Science Centre at Chulalongkorn University, which is the first government-sponsored institution to use scientific method to test halal food, was awarded the 'Halal Journal Award of Best Innovation in Halal Industry for 2006' by none other than Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi," said Samai. "The centre's Halal Certificate has become a benchmark for high standards in halal food and has been adopted in many countries, even in the US."

Under such intense segmentation intertwined with nationalistic branding, perhaps the Malaysian government's Teh Tarik - frothy tea, typically made by pouring the tea from one hand held high into a metallic jug held in another hand below - stunt onboard a Russian-led spacecraft next year may catch the attention of many.

Ki Nan Tsui

The Nation