Gastrodiplomacy as Statecraft: Evaluating the ‘Thai Select’ Certification Strategy
Published:
Abstract
Gastrodiplomacy has emerged as a significant tool of soft power. However, since the term’s inception in the early 2000s and its operationalization in 2012, scholarly analysis remains limited regarding how states systematically leverage culinary culture as an instrument of public diplomacy. Using a narrative review methodology, this study examines the evolution of the concept and analyzes the structural implementation of Thailand’s “Kitchen of the World” program. The analysis reveals that the program’s success relied on a rigorous standardization framework (‘Thai Select’) and government-backed supply chains, effectively scaling the number of Thai restaurants globally to over 15,000. These findings suggest that successful gastrodiplomacy functions primarily as an economic engine and as a driver of tourism development, rather than purely as a tool for cultural or political co-optation.
Demonstrated Competencies
This document serves as a writing sample demonstrating the following research skills:
- Theoretical Application: Anchoring niche policy concepts (Gastrodiplomacy) within established IR frameworks (Nye’s Soft Power & Public Diplomacy).
- Critical Synthesis: Moving beyond descriptive summary to identify structural disjunctures between academic theory and the mercantilist praxis of states.
- Methodological Rigor: Designing and executing a Narrative Literature Review to map a fragmented and nascent field of study.
- Academic Register: Maintaining a C2-level professional tone suitable for graduate-level research or policy analysis.