NFI to request extra funds

"Thai Kitchen to South Korea" focuses not only on setting up Thai restaurants, but also fostering a good image for Thai food and strengthening the entire production process, from upstream to downstream.

Meanwhile, the NFI plans to enhance the quality of 5,000 food-manufacturing plants, in accordance with the food industry's development model for 2009-12.

"We intend to help raise Thai food manufacturers to meet international standards, because most of them - small and medium-sized manufacturers - have obstacles to improving their production process and facilities on their own, including a lack of financial liquidity," Yuthasak said.

He said only 2,000 food-manufacturing plants could meet international standards, with the other 8,000 in the Kingdom remaining sub-standard.

After helping food manufacturers improve product quality and the production process, the NFI expects the value of food exports to surpass Bt1 trillion by 2012, from Bt700 billion at present.

In addition, it is cooperating with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank to facilitate food manufacturers wanting to upgrade their plants to meet the required standards and educate consumers about purchasing standardised products.

The NFI previously targeted improving 140 plants a year but realised such a target was not in line with the present situation, that being many other countries were also promoting their own food in the global market. For example, South Korea is spending US$10 million (Bt341 million) to promote Korean food internationally.