Thailand introduces halal food options to attract more Muslim tourists

Since re-establishing diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia in 2022, Thailand is focusing on creating halal versions of popular dishes to attract more tourists from the Muslim world, Arab News reported.

According to the news agency, last month, the Thai government announced a 2024-28 plan to promote Thailand as the “halal kitchen of the world” and Southeast Asia’s “halal hub.”

For this purpose, Bangkok has developed a standardization system known as Halal Assurance, Liability-Quality System, or HAL-Q, which is used by more than 770 food factories and 7,000 restaurants in the country, allowing them to use the word “halal” in their marketing.

According to authorities, there are 900 such restaurants in Bangkok alone — already “enough to welcome Muslim tourists.