A street food vendor in Bangkok. (Wikimedia/Radek Kucharski)
The Thai government has officially launched the “Thai Street Gold Star” mobile application and an accompanying vendor certification scheme to elevate the international standard of the country’s massive street food sector.
The application was launched during the Thailand Food Therapy Festival & Thai Street Gold Star roadshow on July 26, introduced by Deputy Minister of Commerce Napintorn Srisunpang.
This project is being managed by the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) and Suan Dusit University, along with partner organisations. In its initial rollout, the app is being introduced to three tourist-dense cities, namely Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.
To grant certification, vendors must meet three core requirements: safety (hygiene), signature (uniqueness value) and service (quality of customer care). Subsequently, approved operators will be featured alongside their recommended dishes, precise locations and travel information. These details will be showcased in the application, allowing users to seamlessly access trustworthy travel recommendations.
Additionally, enterprises joining the programme will receive a comprehensive training plan covering business planning and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital marketing.
According to deputy spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana, the project will help Thai street-food retailers to access more local and foreign customers. She highlighted that “Thai cuisine and Thai street food are important strengths for the country”. The spokesperson elaborated that this is part of the government’s broader effort to leverage the renown of Thai street food to both generate economic value, as well as upskill micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Raising standards alongside the use of digital technology will improve operators’ competitiveness, generate income for MSMEs, stimulate tourism and help establish Thailand sustainably as a global gastronomy and wellness-tourism destination,” she concluded.
What does this mean for businesses?
This initiative signals a concerted government push to capitalise on Thailand’s culinary prestige, following Time Out ranking Bangkok as the world’s second-best food city in 2025. By integrating digital tracking with strict quality tiers, the framework offers micro-retailers free institutional backing, a direct marketing funnel to high-spending tourists and the tech tools needed to scale. Ultimately, it transitions local street vendors from informal operators into certified, tech-savvy drivers of the national tourism economy.
Kala Advisory helps investors turn regulatory shifts and tourism tech breakthroughs like these into targeted, country-by-country market entry plans across Southeast Asia. Visit kala-advisory.com.
About The Author
