Thailand's Commerce Ministry, led by Deputy PM Supachai, is rebranding tropical fruits from seasonal commodity to a trade-tourism-soft power lever. The initiative brought ambassadors from 13 strategically selected countries to Southern Thailand's durian farms to taste and evaluate 9 local varieties, aiming to reduce reliance on China (which accounts for 90%+ of fresh durian exports) and open new markets in Europe, South Asia, CIS nations, Latin America, and Africa. The strategy involves using diplomatic networks and geographical indication (GI) branding to differentiate regional durian varieties and premium positioning.