Why so many Thai restaurants abroad ...

[Jingthing]

relative to the number of Thais abroad.

 

Surprised?

 

 

Quote

 

The Surprising Reason that There Are So Many Thai Restaurants in America

...

Using a tactic now known as gastrodiplomacy or culinary diplomacy, the government of Thailand has intentionally bolstered the presence of Thai cuisine outside of Thailand to increase its export and tourism revenues, as well as its prominence on the cultural and diplomatic stages

 

 

[tutsiwarrior]

buncha bullshit...some coconut milk and a few chiles and you got 'exotic cuisine'..the few thai restaurants that I've been to outside of thailand and the wife snorts derisively and mutters: 'chinese food...' she prefers the Macdonalds kids meal with the free gift and then to make proper thai food at home...

 

a posse of apartment block neighbors appear at the door: 'yer wife smellin' up the place again with the cookin'?...' and then weapons are cocked menacingly...

 

 

[oldhippy]

QUOTE: the government of Thailand has intentionally bolstered the presence of Thai cuisine outside of Thailand

 

And just how would the Thai government bolster the presense etc...

[AYJAYDEE]

13 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

QUOTE: the government of Thailand has intentionally bolstered the presence of Thai cuisine outside of Thailand

 

And just how would the Thai government bolster the presense etc...

Political Economy and the “Kitchen of the World” Project The Thai government has participated in the globalization of Thai cuisine. The current government under the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has launched the “Kitchen of the World” project, which aims at promoting Thai food in the international arena. The goal of the project is to increase the number of Thai 11 restaurants overseas from 6,875 (in 2003) to 20,000 in 2008. The government encourages Thai investors to invest in Thai restaurants overseas and provide support in the forms of training, information, and financial loans. As of 2004, the Thai government had approved a 500 million baht budget for the project and held a seminar on November 16, 2004 at Merchant Court Hotel, Bangkok, for interested individuals. Officials in the government hope that the project will generate foreign income not only from the sales of food and service overseas but also from adding value to agricultural and food products which have been Thailand’s leading exports. In promoting Thai cuisine internationally, the government prioritizes standardization and quality. One of the government’s procedures to control the standard of Thai restaurants overseas is awarding the “Thai Select” label to qualified restaurants. Thai Airways International and the Tourism Authority of Thailand will be the government’s agents in charge of selecting qualified Thai restaurant overseas. Thai Airways International3 will transport food items from Thailand to Thai restaurants in destination countries to guarantee freshness of food products.

[Jingthing]

41 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

buncha bullshit...some coconut milk and a few chiles and you got 'exotic cuisine'..the few thai restaurants that I've been to outside of thailand and the wife snorts derisively and mutters: 'chinese food...' she prefers the Macdonalds kids meal with the free gift and then to make proper thai food at home...

 

a posse of apartment block neighbors appear at the door: 'yer wife smellin' up the place again with the cookin'?...' and then weapons are cocked menacingly...

 

 

In the big cities, just go where the Thais go. Yeah, most aren't great, but some are. 

[AYJAYDEE]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

In the big cities, just go where the Thais go. Yeah, most aren't great, but some are. 

the local thais know where the cook is a thai for a start.

 

[hatesfudge]

22 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

In the big cities, just go where the Thais go. Yeah, most aren't great, but some are. 

Here (US) Thai's we know don't go they cook at home

They may try a Thai restaurant once then laugh at the absurdity of the prices 

[AYJAYDEE]

Just now, hatesfudge said:

Here (US) Thai's we know don't go they cook at home

They may try a Thai restaurant once then laugh at the absurdity of the prices 

do they laugh at the absurdity of the wages if they get a job?

 

[oldhippy]

All the Thai places that I know are Chinese or Sushi places that serve some Thai dishes.

And then there are a few real Thai places. Style: "Since I can cook for my family, I can run a restaurant". Like most Thai "restaurants" in Thailand...

 

[chickenslegs]

I can only speak for the Thai restaurants I have visited in my home city and a couple of other places in the UK.

 

Thai food often commands premium prices, so some scoundrels offer a Thai menu but have no Thai staff at all. One place I know changed from being an Indian restaurant to a Thai restaurant  - but all the staff were the same. The food was terrible (IMHO) but it was quite popular for a while.

 

My wife (Thai) and I had lunch at a fish and chip restaurant in Seahouses, Northumberland, a few years ago and were surprised to see some Thai dishes on the menu. Sure enough the owner's wife was Thai and she was the cook. Mrs C tells me that the Thai food was very good.

 

I, of course, being starved of my home cuisine, had the cod and chips (with mushy peas, plenty of salt & vinegar, and thick slices of bread with real butter) which was excellent, and definitely of a quality not available in Thailand.

 

In the same very small town (population circa 1,800) we had very nice Chinese (Cantonese) and Indian (maybe Bangladeshi) take-aways, but I guess that the only Chinese or Bangladeshi residents of the town were the ones working at those establishments.

[oldhippy]

44 minutes ago, AYJAYDEE said:

Political Economy and the “Kitchen of the World” Project The Thai government has participated in the globalization of Thai cuisine. The current government under the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has launched the “Kitchen of the World” project, which aims at promoting Thai food in the international arena. The goal of the project is to increase the number of Thai 11 restaurants overseas from 6,875 (in 2003) to 20,000 in 2008. The government encourages Thai investors to invest in Thai restaurants overseas and provide support in the forms of training, information, and financial loans. As of 2004, the Thai government had approved a 500 million baht budget for the project and held a seminar on November 16, 2004 at Merchant Court Hotel, Bangkok, for interested individuals. Officials in the government hope that the project will generate foreign income not only from the sales of food and service overseas but also from adding value to agricultural and food products which have been Thailand’s leading exports. In promoting Thai cuisine internationally, the government prioritizes standardization and quality. One of the government’s procedures to control the standard of Thai restaurants overseas is awarding the “Thai Select” label to qualified restaurants. Thai Airways International and the Tourism Authority of Thailand will be the government’s agents in charge of selecting qualified Thai restaurant overseas. Thai Airways International3 will transport food items from Thailand to Thai restaurants in destination countries to guarantee freshness of food products.

Interesting project.

No doubt a good source of income for some government officials, and and open invitation for travel abroad.

By the way, the quote is mostly in the future tence, apart from the allocation of funds.

[AYJAYDEE]

1 minute ago, oldhippy said:

Interesting project.

No doubt a good source of income for some government officials, and and open invitation for travel abroad.

By the way, the quote is mostly in the future tence, apart from the allocation of funds.

 The current government under the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has launched the “Kitchen of the World” project, which aims at promoting Thai food 

[mbamber]

And how many Irish Bar's are there in the world nearly 40 years ago I went to Indonesia and the bar had a Guinness promotion on 

Edited April 1, 2018 by mbamber

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, hatesfudge said:

Here (US) Thai's we know don't go they cook at home

They may try a Thai restaurant once then laugh at the absurdity of the prices 

Yes.  very common.  I have worked in 15 states and few had good ones.  Surprisingly Rhode Island had two that were stunning real.  And in the San Diego area there were a few and the prices were reasonable.  Here in Melbourne Florida area the prices are crazy and the food fair.  Nothing to rave about.  And of course the restaurants are rarely busy as other Thais go and open up too many restaurants for the area.  Almost seems like the 7-11 mentality in Thailand.  More than you can shake a stick at.

 

  My theory on the small restaurants that do not seem by even a cursory financial analysis to not make any money, is they are used as havens or immigration portals.  The owners sponsor some people from the home country perhaps saying they are Thai master chefs, or experts in Thai culture or whatever and that gets them into the USA.  The owners of the restaurant charge some fairly expensive fee to the Thais. Just a theory, that seems to fit some of the places I have seen over the years.

[Damrongsak]

The Surprising Reason that There Are So Many Thai Restaurants in America ...
Because I made the mistake of sponsoring 6 of my wife's family to come here and they had to work somewhere!  They've been here about 6 1/2 years now.  One is a citizen.  One just borrowed $10,000. USD from me to buy out a Thai restaurant.  We shall see.  My bro-in-law has been a cook all this time, though he's a better motorcycle mechanic.
Years back, my wife considered buying out a local Vietnamese restaurant.  The owner was very helpful.  Took us to restaurant places to show us where to get second-hand equipment, etc.  Explained in detail the two sets of financial books - one for the tax man, one for real.  And she was an accountant by training.
 

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by Damrongsak

[bendejo]

For a while I lived in a California county that was known for its well-to-do suburbs.  The culinary scandal, which came up every so often in the 'entertainment-dining out' section of the local newspaper, was that the best Thai food in the county was a counter in the food court of a shopping mall.  It was definitely not authentic Thai, more like Chinese food with a twist, but I liked their food.  And the prices were good too.

 

On the other hand I once asked for chopsticks in a Thai restaurant in San Francisco and the boss told me "this is Thai food, we don't eat with chopsticks."  The silverware was gaudy and clumsy, not easy to eat with.

 

 

[tutsiwarrior]

tutsi is in an 'irish pub' in Philadelphia and looks at the bar menu that features 'thai turkey salad'...

 

to the barman: 'ye know, I live in Thailand and don't think that I've ever seen a turkey thereabouts, not even in the supermarket?...that cheeseburger looks mighty fine...'

 

 

[swissie]

Many Thai-Food outlets in Farangland (too many?) A hypothesis:

- Farang takes Thai-Bride to Farangland.
- Thai-Bride gets bored quickly. Want's to do something (work).
- Farang Groom strongly objects to anything that could be remotely connected to "Thai-Massage".

Alternative: Open Thai-Restaurant. Competition very much. Thai-Bride makes no money and get's bored. Thai Bride mad, closes Restaurant. Farang also mad, him lose 10'000 £. Thai Family also mad at Bride: No big money coming, you no good daughter!
Everybody mad at everyone. Let the curtain fall!

Could this explain the oversupply of Thai Restaurants ranging from Berlin to Birmingham?
Cheers.
 

[mbamber]

59 minutes ago, swissie said:

Many Thai-Food outlets in Farangland (too many?) A hypothesis:

- Farang takes Thai-Bride to Farangland.
- Thai-Bride gets bored quickly. Want's to do something (work).
- Farang Groom strongly objects to anything that could be remotely connected to "Thai-Massage".

Alternative: Open Thai-Restaurant. Competition very much. Thai-Bride makes no money and get's bored. Thai Bride mad, closes Restaurant. Farang also mad, him lose 10'000 £. Thai Family also mad at Bride: No big money coming, you no good daughter!
Everybody mad at everyone. Let the curtain fall!

Could this explain the oversupply of Thai Restaurants ranging from Berlin to Birmingham?
Cheers.
 

Is that Birmingham deep south USA or the UK (black country area from all the steel mills in yesteryear) a lot of curry shops there 

Edited April 1, 2018 by mbamber

[swissie]

At this point, it might be a good idea to talk about the "Thai-Cuisine" in general.

Like it or not, the Thai-Cuisine consists of 5 to 6 standart menues. Can and will be expanded by certain "add-on's", but still based on those same basic 5 to 6 standatd dishes.

In comparison: In my home-country, an apprentice-cook will have to be able to cook-up some 50 (fifty) completely different dishes to be certified as a cook (with diploma) after a 3 year apprenticeship.

I don't know how Thailand is going to conquer the world, but it will definitely not be by way of the "Thai-Cuisine".
Bon appetit & cheers.

[swissie]

6 minutes ago, mbamber said:

Is that Birmingham deep south USA or the UK (black country area from all the steel mills in yesteryear) a lot of curry shops there 

Both. The underlying story woulden't change much.

Cheers.

[AYJAYDEE]

1 hour ago, swissie said:

Many Thai-Food outlets in Farangland (too many?) A hypothesis:

- Farang takes Thai-Bride to Farangland.
- Thai-Bride gets bored quickly. Want's to do something (work).
- Farang Groom strongly objects to anything that could be remotely connected to "Thai-Massage".

Alternative: Open Thai-Restaurant. Competition very much. Thai-Bride makes no money and get's bored. Thai Bride mad, closes Restaurant. Farang also mad, him lose 10'000 £. Thai Family also mad at Bride: No big money coming, you no good daughter!
Everybody mad at everyone. Let the curtain fall!

Could this explain the oversupply of Thai Restaurants ranging from Berlin to Birmingham?
Cheers.
 

No

 

[The manic]

3 hours ago, hatesfudge said:

Here (US) Thai's we know don't go they cook at home

They may try a Thai restaurant once then laugh at the absurdity of the prices 

20 years, ago in London, in Shepherds bush a thai restaurant selling NE Thai food opene called issan Kao. Pappay salad, pok pok even then was about 5 pounds.  In Thailand at the, time 20 pence but plenty of Thai wives cook decent thai food in the uk in pubs and restaurants.. Some is very good. 

[Oxx]

The full article is at https://munchies.vice.com/en_us/article/paxadz/the-surprising-reason-that-there-are-so-many-thai-restaurants-in-america?utm_campaign=sharebutton

[hatesfudge]

6 hours ago, AYJAYDEE said:

do they laugh at the absurdity of the wages if they get a job?

 

Yes they laugh even harder at  the massive profit margin  even after paying federal minimum wages

[AYJAYDEE]

2 minutes ago, hatesfudge said:

Yes they laugh even harder at  the massive profit margin  even after paying federal minimum wages

thats why so many go under!!

 

[hatesfudge]

Just now, AYJAYDEE said:

thats why so many go under!!

 

Well the massive profit margin on those we know of are doing quite well.

But they cater to tourist areas & tourists have money to spend

 

Other smaller Thai restaurants are as other have said nothing more than a money laundering scheme

What they don't make on food they more than make up for in human trafficking of sorts , gambling & even Thai lottery outlets

[gk10002000]

5 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

The Surprising Reason that There Are So Many Thai Restaurants in America ...
Because I made the mistake of sponsoring 6 of my wife's family to come here and they had to work somewhere!  They've been here about 6 1/2 years now.  One is a citizen.  One just borrowed $10,000. USD from me to buy out a Thai restaurant.  We shall see.  My bro-in-law has been a cook all this time, though he's a better motorcycle mechanic.
Years back, my wife considered buying out a local Vietnamese restaurant.  The owner was very helpful.  Took us to restaurant places to show us where to get second-hand equipment, etc.  Explained in detail the two sets of financial books - one for the tax man, one for real.  And she was an accountant by training.
 

 

Yes, the books, and the restaurant equipment, etc.  been through it with our family restaurant we had when I was in college and high school.  I learned a lot.  One thing my parents did, that while defensible, ended costing them a lot in retirement.  They did not pay themselves much.  Their thinking was to avoid paying income tax, etc.  A defensible position.  But they did not save a dime, nor any of the %% that would have gone into social security.  So when they got to retirement they got a paltry 1,000/month or there abouts.  So if you do the owner thing, please if nothing else try and put aside 6% as if it were going to social security

[AYJAYDEE]

36 minutes ago, hatesfudge said:

Well the massive profit margin on those we know of are doing quite well.

But they cater to tourist areas & tourists have money to spend

 

Other smaller Thai restaurants are as other have said nothing more than a money laundering scheme

What they don't make on food they more than make up for in human trafficking of sorts , gambling & even Thai lottery outlets

not where I live

 

[chicowoodduck]

When I land in New York I go to Pok Pok in Brooklyn....run by some folks from Udon and the food is waaay too bad......?