The Tourism Authority of Thailand and gastronomy partners will highlight Songkhla gastronomy destination through a live culinary exchange connecting Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Thailand Gastronomy Network and HUG – Hatyai University Gastronomy Lab will host a live culinary exchange on 5 August, highlighting Songkhla as an emerging gastronomy destination through Asian food culture and tourism storytelling.
The inaugural World Kitchen of Spices: Thailand × Indonesia will stream live from Songkhla, connecting chefs, educators, tourism professionals, students, entrepreneurs and food enthusiasts across Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong and other markets. Participants will be able to join the programme through a cook-along format or a Watch & Learn session.
Connecting Asian culinary traditions
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University will participate as a programme partner through Chef Samantha Tam, Instructor at its School of Hotel and Tourism Management.
The livestream will also mark the official launch of The Bold Flavor | Tam Rot Songkhla, a destination campaign developed by TAT, the Thailand Gastronomy Network and HUG. The initiative highlights Songkhla through its ingredients, communities, culinary traditions and creative food culture.
Led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Jutamas “Jan” Wisansing, Founder and President of the Thailand Gastronomy Network and Strategic Lead of HUG, the programme will explore the connections between Southern Thai curry paste and Indonesia’s rempah and sambal traditions.
Rather than focusing only on cooking techniques, the exchange will examine how food reflects place, trade, migration, beliefs and family heritage across Asian communities.
Vita Datau, President of the Indonesia Gastronomy Network, said: “Thailand and Indonesia share centuries of culinary exchange through spices, trade and culture. The World Kitchen of Spices opens a new platform for cultural diplomacy, learning and collaboration that celebrates our shared heritage while respecting our unique identities.”
Developing gastronomy experiences for visitors
The initiative builds on Songkhla’s visitor economy, which recorded THB 50.66 billion in 2025 from 6,968,599 visitor trips, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. During the first half of 2026, the province generated THB 27.51 billion from 3,841,886 visitor trips, with international visitors accounting for 52.5% of trips and THB 15.09 billion in revenue.
At the centre of The Bold Flavor initiative is a network of 47 Founding Gastronomy Experience Designers, including chefs, farmers, artisans, producers, community enterprises, cafés, local businesses and cultural hosts.
The experiences developed by the network include lagoon and coastal food journeys, halal gastronomy, heritage cafés, traditional recipes, artisan products, community dining and local beverage culture.
HUG will select and refine 10–15 Signature Gastronomy Experiences with defined concepts, pricing structures and tools to connect local hosts with buyers. The initiative aims to increase visitor value and support local producers, farmers, chefs, craftspeople and communities.
Dr. Jutamas Wisansing said: “HUG is more than a laboratory; it is a living platform where research meets communities, creativity meets culture, and local knowledge becomes meaningful visitor experiences. Through Kitchen Club, The Bold Flavor and our network of gastronomy experience designers, we aim to position Songkhla as a living classroom and international meeting place for gastronomy innovation, where local flavors inspire global conversations.”
Regional collaboration supports tourism promotion
The Indonesia Gastronomy Network serves as the initiative’s strategic partner, while The Hong Kong Polytechnic University joins as a programme partner. The World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage and the Responsible Tourism Development Academy participate as supporting partners.
Krungthai Card Public Company Limited (KTC) is supporting the campaign as privilege partner, helping connect visitor interest with travel planning and local spending through participating Songkhla restaurants.
Recorded content from the programme will support future educational resources, recipes, ingredient guides and cross-cultural learning initiatives. Future World Kitchen editions may explore themes including fermentation, rice cultures, coffee and tea, honey and terroir, halal kitchens, coastal ingredients and wellness traditions.