By: Claire Scafidi
Introduction
Despite Thai people making up just 0.1% of the United States’s population, there are 10,000 Thai restaurants across the country, making the cuisine one of the most popular choices among Americans. Why is the ratio of restaurants to immigrants disproportionate? How did Thai food become so popular in the U.S.? The answer is found in a policy Thailand invented: gastrodiplomacy.
What is Gastrodiplomacy?
The term “gastrodiplomacy” was first used in a 2002 article by The Economist discussing Thailand’s Global Thai Program. Food has been a part of traditional diplomacy since ancient times, with diplomats being treated to incredible dinners. Food is highly personal to one’s family, culture, and individual sense of self, and considering the personal is political, food has the potential to be deeply political. Gastrodiplomacy can improve a state’s image using soft power and name-brand recognition. Soft power uses persuasive power and cultural institutions to exert a state’s goals. Cultural practices are a new important feature of soft power as food can create cultural awareness as foreigners begin to recognize and appreciate the culture. Studying gastrodiplomacy and its effects is challenging, which leads to a need for more empirical data supporting the term. Results of gastrodiplomacy include tourism, increased restaurant opening, food exports, and inbound foreign direct investment. Gastrodiplomacy broadly seems to encourage exports for countries with a lesser democracy level as food transcends the issue of democracy. Gastrodiplomacy aims to influence “the people” rather than the “elite” to increase its audience and international influence. Food influences our decision-making, as sharing a meal increases positive social behavior. Through gastrodiplomacy, the country’s platform is expanded to foreign countries. In Thailand, restaurants serve as cultural diplomats, creating a positive image for the country. Since Thailand’s program, several other countries, such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Peru, have forayed into the realm of gastrodiplomacy.
Global Thai Program
In 2002, the Global Thai Program was created as a diplomatic initiative to increase Thai restaurants worldwide by implementing policies to make it easier for Thai restaurants to import Thai food, train Thai chefs, and access financing plans. Specifically, the goal was to increase exports and its name-brand recognition. Between 10,000 and 15,000 Thai restaurants were opened on behalf of the Global Thai Program. Thailand used gastrodiplomacy to increase agricultural exports and rebrand itself as the ‘kitchen to the world.’ The explicit goal of the Global Thai Program in 2002 was to increase the global demand for Thai food by internationalizing the cuisine. The success of the Global Thai Program has transformed Thai food from being perceived as ‘exotic’ to becoming a part of mainstream American take-out culture– a clear indication of the impact of gastrodiplomacy.
Following the success of the Global Thai Program, Thailand launched a second initiative: Thailand: Kitchen of the World. This initiative aimed to introduce Thais to their unique culinary history and culture and teach foreigners about Thai cuisine. The Thai government played a crucial role in this, encouraging Thai investors to invest in restaurants, providing large budgets, creating Thai culinary schools explicitly geared towards chefs aiming to work abroad, and loaning money to foreign Thai restaurants. The proactive role of the Thai government in promoting Thai cuisine and culture through these initiatives is a testament to their commitment to preserving and sharing their culinary heritage.
Pad Thai
Pad Thai, a dish widely known in the U.S., was a significant part of the Global Thai Program despite its origins in a Chinese dish. The flavors of Pad Thai are distinctly Thai, and it was primarily invented and popularized in 1938 during a rice shortage to promote rice noodles, which used 50% less grain. Using ‘pad, ‘ a Thai word for fried, this innovation distinguished Pad Thai in Thai culture. The Thai prime minister at the time, Plaek Phibunsongkram, emphasized the importance of a national culture and a national dish. During World War II, Pad Thai also created a sense of nationalism in Thailand as a cheap street food option that many Thai families relied on. The cultural significance of Pad Thai, its unique flavors, and its role in Thai history make it a dish that connects people to the rich and diverse Thai culture.
Today, Thai Food, especially Pad Thai, is a popular American take-out choice due to the success of the Global Thai Program. Its distinct Thai flavors and function as a street food has made it a unique part of Thai culture. The essential ingredients of Pad Thai include meat, tamarind, palm sugar, fish sauce, eggs, dried shrimp, garlic, tofu, salted radish, peanuts, rice noodles, and bean sprouts. However, the recipe for Pad Thai is open to interpretation, leading to various delicious and unique variations. Marie Wilson wrote “Siamese Cookery,” the first Thai Cookbook published in the United States. It was a cookbook that simplified and Americanized Thai recipes.
Next time you eat a variation of Pad Thai or drive past one of the numerous Thai restaurants in your city, remember the origins of gastrodiplomacy and the soft power covertly exerted.
