Thailand launches the 2015 Discover Thainess Streets and Markets of Clean Food Good Taste

Friday 18 September 2015 09:56
The Ministry of Public Health in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports recently launched the 2015 Discover Thainess Streets and Markets of Clean Food Good Taste project, aiming at assuring and elevating the good sanitation of all markets and street food vendors in Thailand.

The project recommended 17 food streets and 13 fresh markets in the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) 12 hidden gems that tourists must not miss when they are in the kingdom (Lampang, Phetchabun, Nan, Buri Ram, Loei, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Trat, Chanthaburi, Trang, Chumphon, and Nakhon Si Thammarat).

All food streets and fresh markets listed have passed the Ministry of Public Health's criteria and been awarded the Clean Food Good Taste logo and the Clean Fresh Market certificate, respectively. In addition, all participating restaurants and food vendors must pass the following criteria: Clean Food Good Taste; no sale of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes; no use of foam food containers; must provide serving spoons; have clean restrooms, and are equipped with wash basins. The fresh markets must pass the criteria of environmental sanitation, food safety, and consumer protection.

Under the 2015 Discover Thainess Streets and Markets of Clean Food Good Taste project, all 12 local health stations in collaboration with the provincial health offices and the provincial administration offices have organised meetings and seminars, guiding local restaurants and food vendors on the Clean Food Good Taste concept and on using natural materials as food containers. Thus far, restaurants and food vendors of the food street on Khuang Muang Road in Nan are 100 per cent free of foam food containers.

H.E. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports said, "The 2015 Discover Thainess Streets and Markets of Clean Food Good Taste project has been initiated to help promote Thailand's tourism with the emphasis on Thai food culture and stimulate the country's economy through the promotion of clean and good sanitary food services in tourist areas and also around the country. This is to reassure tourists that food in Thailand is safe as well as looks and tastes good."

The Ministry of Public Health has initiated the Clean Food Good Taste project since 1999, and has thus far awarded a total of 125,987 restaurants and food vendors across the country, except Bangkok, representing 87.16 per cent of the total 144,500 businesses nationwide. Meanwhile, a total of 1,351 fresh markets have been certified under the Clean Fresh Market project, launched in 2003, representing 86.33 per cent of the total 1,565 fresh markets nationwide.