Govt will establish standards for Thai cooks

[webfact]

Govt will establish standards for Thai cooks

 

FILE photo

 

BANGKOK, 26th June 2018 (NNT) - The Ministry of Labor is preparing to establish standards of competency for Thai cooks by next year, as part of its plan to accredit Thai cooks working abroad. 

Minister of Labor Pol.Gen.Adul Saengsingkaew said today that the government is focusing on the use of management and standards to promote Thailand as a kitchen to the world. Thai cooks who observe high standards can help expand the country’s good image in terms of cuisine, said the minister. 

The standards for Thai cooks will be jointly developed by the ministry and relevant public and private organizations. The standards will cover culinary training and tests that are on par with international practices as well as Thai cookbooks. Certificates will be issued to the cooks who meet the standards of excellence. 

Currently, there are around 1,300 Thai restaurants worldwide. Thai cooks abroad are paid 400,000 - 900,000 baht/month.

 

According to the Ministry of Labor, more than 15,000 Thai cooks are needed—11,000 in their home country and around 4,000 overseas. From January 2017 - May 2018, 3,628 Thai cooks traveled to foreign countries to work—most of whom are in Asia, followed by Europe and the Middle East.

 

-- nnt 2018-06-27

[Anak Nakal]

Make rule for Thai cook abroad?

Meddle!

No country care about Thai certificate.

This just bureaucracy/take money from people.

[stanleycoin]

 Makes me think of this guy. 

take care who you employ  

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by stanleycoin

[lopburi3]

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai cooks abroad are paid 400,000 - 900,000 baht/month.

No way.  Suspect they have the decimal in the wrong place.  Average US salary is about 50k per month

Edited June 27, 2018 by lopburi3

[Cadbury]

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

Certificates will be issued to the cooks who meet the standards of excellence. 

I wonder what the "under-the-counter" price of those certificates will be when they hit the market.

[colinneil]

First step in obtaining the certificate, is pissing in a bottle without getting any on your hands.?

[Eligius]

' ... help expand the country’s good image ...'

 

Do you, like me, get sick and tired of all this banging on about 'Thai image'? It's never about substance - always about surface. Why don't they say, for a change: 'We want to do X,Y,Z to make a genuine contribution to the world - to help others and share with them what we can'? But no - it's always 'image, image, image'.

 

And that's Thailand in a word: (fake) IMAGE!

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by Eligius

[bluesofa]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

The standards will cover culinary training and tests that are on par with international practices as well as Thai cookbooks. Certificates will be issued to the cooks who meet the standards of excellence. 

How about a general understanding of kitchen equipment, including the storage of foodstuff - will that be included?

I'm only aware of food hygiene certification in the UK. I remember one of the categories was a knowledge of how to store fresh food in a refrigerator and the strict order in which shelves are used for different types of food.

 

If all these types of issues were to be addressed, it would make it easier for Thai cooks to apply for certification in their host country, as they would have a decent understanding of the required standards internationally.

 

[johng]

No way.  Suspect they have the decimal in the wrong place.  Average US salary is about 50k per month

No wonder all Thais want to work abroad...the streets are lined with gold !
[emoji38] [emoji38] [emoji38]
400,000 per year maybe ?

[ezzra]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Currently, there are around 1,300 Thai restaurants worldwide. Thai cooks abroad are paid 400,000 - 900,000 baht/month.

 

Really? that much? i don't think so, Thai cooks are pretty much the lowest paid kitchen hands among other nationalities and i should know i'm in the hospitality business...

[leeneeds]

Really! they need to be tested by  Gordon Ramsey,

and if past muster they gain accreditation

one wonders what  the reactions would be like when he watches

handling and treatment of produce prior to the taste testing,

given his no holds barred approach to call it as he sees it. 

 

[Cadbury]

42 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

Really! they need to be tested by  Gordon Ramsey,

and if past muster they gain accreditation

one wonders what  the reactions would be like when he watches

handling and treatment of produce prior to the taste testing,

given his no holds barred approach to call it as he sees it. 

 

It could get interesting when Gordon reels off a barrage of his foul mouth expletives to make his point. That should rock them back on their heels

Edited June 27, 2018 by Cadbury

[johng]

It could get interesting when Gordon reels off a barrage of his foul mouth expletives to make his point. That should rock them back on their heels

They would all be crying in the corner..then run away never to be seen again..most Thais dont like/cant cope with that confrontational approach.

[Lemonltr]

Apart from hygiene how about teaching them to peel the garlic. I like garlic in my food but after retrieving the skin from your mouth what is more off-putting than biting down on an uncrushed pod?

[thhMan]

Those in power continue to show the world their complete incomptence and infatuation with "medals"

When Thailand can teach its Police to behave with some competence and teach its population basic road rules, then perhaps offering accreditation for Thai cooking might be given some credence...

 

Good food is derived from a chef with experience and passion.. not some paperwork

[upena]

Will they pass out free hairnets?

[jaltsc]

"Thai cooks abroad are paid 400,000 - 900,000 baht/month."

$13,000 -$28,000 per month for a Thai Cook? Sous chefs in top restaurants don't earn a fraction of that kind of money. Any female Thai who is lured into working with the promise of that kind of money as a cook, will probably find herself chained to a bed and dishing out something significantly different that Som Tum, and lucky if she pays off her transportation costs before she is considered too old to be a "chef". 

Edited June 27, 2018 by jaltsc

[abrahamzvi]

4 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

No way.  Suspect they have the decimal in the wrong place.  Average US salary is about 50k per month

The same applies to Germany, other European countries as well as Israel.

[Kraig62]

Only 1,300 Thai restaurants worldwide? Thai cooks abroad are paid 400,000 - 900,000 baht/month? 

Think you need to do a little research before writing articles. 

[Kraig62]

5 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

 Makes me think of this guy. 

take care who you employ  

 

Class clown ? 

[Kraig62]

18 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

"Thai cooks abroad are paid 400,000 - 900,000 baht/month."

$13,000 -$28,000 per month for a Thai Cook? Sous chefs in top restaurants don't earn a fraction of that kind of money. Any female Thai who is lured into working with the promise of that kind of money as a cook, will probably find herself chained to a bed and dishing out something significantly different that Som Tum, and lucky if she pays off her transportation costs before she is considered too old to be a "chef". 

Gin hoy perhaps 

[DrTuner]

Did anybody else have a dyslexic moment and read "crooks"?

[Lupatria]

In Europe the restaurants are under tight control by municipal administration already. Better tell the local food vendors to wash their hands once in a while.

[Somchai Logic]

Certificates will be issued to the cooks who meet the standards of excellence. 

Bahahahaha 

"Excellence", nor even "Standards" not same your Country Mister 

[madmitch]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

According to the Ministry of Labor, more than 15,000 Thai cooks are needed—11,000 in their home country and around 4,000 overseas. From January 2017 - May 2018, 3,628 Thai cooks traveled to foreign countries to work—most of whom are in Asia, followed by Europe and the Middle East.

3,628 exactly. Amazing where they get their figures from. I'm surprised they have round the number of cooks required to the nearest thousand!

 

They haven't mentioned the number of Thais working in various countries illegally. Yes, it does happen, it's not just in Thailand that aliens have the temerity to work without the appropriate papers! 

[Sydebolle]

Trust me, the government's interference will make a big booboo out of this too. Wherever the government puts in its big nose (against testing, certification and authorization fees which allow for kickbacks and similar unreceiptable payments) it usually turns ugly and sour.

I ran restaurants and I could not care less what kind of papers or not an applicant would bring along. Testing a Thai chef; simple. Give him a list of four Thai dishes exceeding the skills of fried rice, go shopping with him at the local market, get him to prepare his mise-en-place, cook the dishes and invite some picky diners to judge. Worked excellent with me; one guy could not even read or write but was an excellent cook whereas another guy from a culinary school in North Pattaya went ballistic when told to make a Lemongrass/Shrimp soup from scratch rather than Knorr cubes and instant powers.

MSG and sugar, very often today's standards, furthermore are no-nos but whatever you do, keep the government out by keeping them busy with buying submarines and looking at wrists for accurate time. 

[Emster23]

Workers at restaurants in my state in US must have a food handlers permit, no exceptions. I imagine true for most other states too, so worry about storage, cleanliness etc probably addressed unless attitude "that only to pass test" present. Can't buy the permit either, which may disappoint some wannabe cooks.

Seems this scheme just another attempt to get money from those who want to work by those who don't

[sobrann]

Wow ? sometimes ( most of the time)they really write anything withouth  thinking. 

Average wage for a Thai cook in Europe is between 1100 -1500 euro a month unless he is an independent  but even then it would never reach such  as mentioned ....  

Secondly they do not have the requiered diplomas so they keep on the low wage level.  i would be a millionair by now if cooks(chief cook) would get such a wages.

Edited June 27, 2018 by sobrann

[atyclb]

if they really want to support the thai image abroad me thinks a "hooker standards certificate" is in order

[atyclb]

absurdity. there already exist recognized cooking schools/programs, some highly respected internationally