Bangkok (Thailand) – November 22, 2017 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with Gault & Millau, recently published a bilingual supplement to the travel guide “Tasty Thailand” along with the new restaurant guide “Gault & Millau Belux Edition 2018”. The gala dinner for the launch took place on November 13, 2017, in Brussels, Belgium, and was attended by over 600 prominent figures from the Belux countries' fine dining scene.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the TAT, said that the new Gault & Millau Restaurant Guide Belux Edition 2018 will include a 70-page supplement entitled Tasty Thailand, sponsored by the TAT, with the aim of showcasing the delights of Thai cuisine to an even wider international audience.

"Promoting Thai cuisine is one of the TAT's top priorities, as it builds bridges to the agricultural sector, which is Thailand's largest economic sector, and goes hand in hand with the excellent branding work that Thai restaurants do worldwide."

“Health and well-being also play an important role, and many Thai dishes place great emphasis on high-quality herbs and other nutrient-rich ingredients. We are convinced that a country’s cuisine offers a wonderful opportunity to learn about its culture, heritage, and way of life,” added Mr. Yuthasak.

The Gault & Millau restaurant guide was founded in 1965 by restaurant critics Henri Gault and Christian Millau. It rates restaurants from 1 to 20 points, with the awards based solely on the quality of the food. Gault & Millau guides are now published for the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Poland, as well as for France, Canada and Australia. The Belux edition of the Gault & Millau restaurant guide has a print run of 35,000 copies.

The 70-page, bilingual travel guide entry "Tasty Thailand 2018" by Gault & Millau Belux, published in French and Dutch, showcases Thailand's thriving gourmet scene, highly acclaimed restaurants in Thailand and Belgium, Bangkok's famous street food, products from royal projects, key tourist destinations, and unique, authentic experiences. It is expected to reach five million readers.

In 2016, Thailand welcomed a total of 112,140 travelers from Belgium, an increase of 4.13 percent compared to the previous year. Belgian travelers spend an average of 17 days in Thailand and are interested in nature, culture, and cuisine.

At its celebratory opening dinner, the Thai restaurant Boo Raan in Belgium was awarded "Asian Restaurant of the Year" by the Gault & Millau restaurant guide. The photo shows Boo Raan's owner and head chef, Patrick D. Eigenaar (left), and head chef, Dokkoon Kapueak (center), accepting the award from TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn (right). Chef Eigenaar and Chef Kapueak also prepared the first appetizer, Tom Yum cod, for the 600 guests at the gala dinner.

International Public Relations Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand, 1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Tel.: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48, Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246

For more information on culinary tourism in Thailand and the best restaurants in Bangkok, please visit www.Top25Restaurants.com

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