More than what’s on the plate.
A meal can be an invitation to understand another culture. Gastrodiplomacy explores how cuisine helps nations and communities communicate who they are.
This project looks at the connections between food, tourism, national identity, and cultural exchange.
Where food and travel meet.
How does experiencing a cuisine shape the way we see a country? Dr. Suntikul’s research examines the relationship between gastrodiplomacy, tourism, and national identity.
Read the research paper (PDF) →
One table. Many cultures.
Explore the five countries in the original collection. Their dedicated guides are forthcoming.
France · South Korea · Thailand · Taiwan · Peru
People, places & the food between them.
Explore photographs from the original project.
A curiosity about the world.
Meet Dr. Wantanee Suntikul and learn about the person behind this project.
Let’s connect.
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COUNTRY COLLECTION / ASIA
Thailand
Thailand’s food connections extend from riverside cooking knowledge to restaurants overseas. These examples connect living heritage with the public presentation of Thai cuisine.
Food and cultural identity
Tomyum Kung, the Thai prawn soup, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. UNESCO connects the dish to riverside communities in Thailand’s Central Plains, local ingredients and knowledge shared within families and cultural gatherings. Lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves help tell a story of place as well as flavour.
Public diplomacy example
Thai SELECT is a Ministry of Commerce initiative that certifies and promotes authentic Thai cuisine overseas. At the September 2025 TASTE of Thai SELECT event in New York, the Thai Trade Center brought together stalls from 16 certified restaurants. The event illustrates how restaurants, trade-promotion agencies and diplomatic representatives can work together to introduce food to audiences abroad.
Explore further
Start with UNESCO’s account of the soup’s community knowledge. Then read the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ explanation of Thai SELECT and its report from New York to compare heritage safeguarding with overseas promotion.
Official sources
A curated introduction based on the official sources above.
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