Special Interview Paisarn Promyong
Paisarn Promyong former Chairman, Executive Board of the Institute for Halal Food standard of Thailand (Halal Thai)
Thailand Halal food industry is on the cusp of greatness thanks to the industry’s inherent competitive board of the statute for Halal Food Standard Thailand .
The key advantages the Thai industry has over many of its competitors in other countries is the workmanship, expensive use of technology and the abundance of natural resources that Thailand is blessed with Also the use of a stringent Halal certification process sets the Thai industry apart from many of its competitors around the world , according to Khun Paisarn.
Thai Halal certification is unique in the world of Halal food. In most Muslim countries there is no logo needed and few products carry a logo . But besides demarking Thai Halal food as genuine, the logo is also proof that the manufacturer strictly adheres he stringent rules of Halal food ,which keep the food pure and fit for consumption by Muslims.
“Some people may ask, Why do you have this logo? It is to prove that our Halal food Foods ” he said .
The biggest impediment to widespread success, however, is a lack of knowledge about Thailand‘s Halal industry. But khun Pisarn belives these obstacles are about to be overcome thank to continuing efforts by Thailand , the Central Islamic Committee and the government , which is helping spread the word as part of its larger effort to make
Thailand a “Kitchen to the World.”
Thanks to government support for the industry, there is now a “circle of cooperation that surround the Halal Center.” He said.
Despite the thin marketing the industry has in performed miraculously well ever since the new Halal certification process was initiated. Although the Central Islamic committee of Thailand had certified Halal food for more than 50 years, the standards were not that high until about four years ago
Then, three years ago the government decided it wanted to upgrade the standards for export, he said .It made Halal Foods one of the country’s national development strategies.
“The government realized that the Halal industry could provide lots of neew income for the country and that it was an important part of the economy. ” Khun Paisarn said.
To that end it established the Institute for Halal Food Standard of Thailand and the Halal Food Science Center at Chulalungkorn University. “Both are the only such organizations in the world” he said .
“The way for us to improve on our weaknessea was to set up the Institute for Halal Food Standard of Thailand to address them.”
The center dose this by developing human resources and technology and training manufacturers (who are necessarily Muslims ) about market Halal Food in line with the stringent Islamic laws over food cleanliness. It also works with existing manufactures to help them improve on their products.
Paisarn said that Thailand has three main advantages when it comes to producing Halal food:|
1. Thais are religiously of devoted people,
2. They are plenty of natural resources and a cheap labor force, which makes costs low,
3. Thailand already has potential in many foods.
“Compared to other countries, we also use hi-technoligy, which helps us to compete,” he said . “That way we can develop Halal food that assure our clients of its quality and safety.”
“We try to use this technology to go along with religious concepts by sticking to religious philosophy, by emphasizing that Halal food is health and safe to eat.”
“We have a strong industry but we are not a center of Muslims in Southeast Asia like Malaysia and Indonesia, ” he said . “Thai why people don’t know much about Thai Halal food.”
One way the government and the institute spread the word is to educate consumers about Thai Halal food.
The main Halal products in Thailand are poultry, frozen foods and conned tuna . The main customers are in the Middle East and Asean nations. South Asian and Muslim countries.
Paisan said he think that it is possible for Thailand to become a center for Halal food based on the extraordinary growth of the Thai industry. In the last three years the industry has grown 10 times in size.
And once the Halal Industrial Estate is finished in Pattani , the country can present itself as a center for Halal food. One goal of the institute and government is to market food using the name of Pattani and the future Pattani Halal Food Estate.
“Countries like France and other European nations buy their Halal food from countries that were under them [colonized] before,” he said . “And in fact many Muslims countries don’t know about Thailand Halal food But they know of Pattani. Muslims of the world know of Pattani because it was once a Muslim kingdom.
“They know that products from Pattani are Muslims products. From Pattani is a symbol of recognition for Halal products. Pattani’s potential is huge.”
One big move Of the institute is its plans to set up a Halal catering center at the new Suvarnabhumi Airport. It plans to establish a kitchen there to serve airline with use the catering with special requests for Halal food, while airlines from Muslim-dominated countries could buy all of their meals from the kitchen.
“The kitchen will ensure that we make and keep the food from mixing with non- Halal food, ” Paisarn said.
Referent : Thai Halal Product Directory 2006- 2007