Thailand's Ministry of Commerce awarded Thai SELECT certification to 182 Thai restaurants (out of 500+ applicants) in 2026, positioning the food service sector—valued at 674 billion baht and employing 1.28 million people—as a critical grassroots economic driver. Government strategy now links food quality standards ("Trust Power") across supply chains from farmers to tourists, with digital marketing, influencer partnerships, and experiential tourism initiatives to boost Thai restaurant visibility domestically and internationally.