Mr. Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, revealed that, “Amidst fierce competition in the restaurant business, having only ‘good cooking skills’ may not be enough to survive in the digital age. Therefore, the Department of Business Development is continuing the success of the ‘Smart Restaurant Plus’ project for the sixth consecutive year. This year, the 12th training session (first session) was held on January 22-23, 2026, at the Centara Udon Thani Hotel in Udon Thani Province, with over 180 entrepreneurs interested in participating. Mr. Sathaporn Ruamnapaya, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Business Development, presided over the opening ceremony and announced a proactive plan to visit all four regions of the country to closely support and develop the potential of restaurant entrepreneurs. We are confident that entrepreneurs in every region will have equal opportunities to access modern business knowledge and tools, aiming to create a network of quality restaurants throughout Thailand.” To accommodate both Thai and international tourists traveling throughout the year,”

Pinning Udon Thani as the upper Isaan hub, a gateway to new trade opportunities. The selection of Udon Thani as the first pilot area this year has strategic significance, as it is a central hub for trade and transportation in upper Isaan, connecting to neighboring countries. This is a key factor in attracting a large influx of both Thai and international tourists. Their primary goal is to find ‘delicious food’ and ‘unique restaurants.’ Therefore, restaurants serve as powerful cultural ambassadors, creating a lasting first impression and distributing significant revenue to local communities.

Director-General Poonpong further stated that Smart Restaurant Plus is an intensive course transforming ‘chefs’ into ‘professional managers,’ focusing on equipping restaurants with 360-degree intellectual tools to address weaknesses and strengthen strengths. The content covers everything from restaurant management planning, financial and accounting/tax planning (a major pain point for restaurant owners), to modern digital marketing, enabling entrepreneurs to understand changing consumer behavior. The core goal is to empower entrepreneurs to transcend being mere cooks and become ‘professional managers’ ready to adapt and grow in any situation. A powerful collaboration between leading experts and Chef's Club by Makro from CP Extra Public Company Limited is underway to decipher business shortcuts. A team of national-level speakers will participate in "decoding success," including Rachit Chairat (Accounting and Tax Guru), Kunapong Techavaraprasert (Selling Well Together Facebook Page), Pornchai Nitmethawong (True Friend of Restaurants Facebook Page), Chef Pattanan Thongthong (Executive Chef and National Team Coach), and Chef Wilment Leong (World Chefs Association). They will share their real-world experiences and foster business connections for long-term mutual support.

Data from the Department of Business Development's DBD DataWarehouse+ as of December 31, 2025, indicates that the restaurant business is a promising sector to watch. Generating revenue for the country of up to 338 billion baht, growing by 7% from 2024, there are currently over 25,963 legal entities operating in the business, with a total registered capital of 304,678.10 million baht. By 2025, the number of new establishments is projected to reach 3,616, reflecting the enormous ‘opportunity’ in the restaurant market. However, this also comes with an increasing number of new ‘competitors’. Keeping up-to-date with the global business world through knowledge is therefore key to survival,” Director-General Poonpong concluded. The Department of Business Development has scheduled Smart Restaurant Plus training courses in three more regions across the country throughout 2026, including: *Session 2 (Southern Region), Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The training will be held on February 26-27, 2026 (3rd session, Northern Region, Chiang Rai Province; March 30-31, 2026; and April 28-29, 2026 (4th session, Eastern Region, Chonburi Province). Interested entrepreneurs can find details and register for the training via the Department of Business Development's Facebook Fanpage, contact the Call Center at 1570, or visit the website www.dbd.go.th for more information.

Go To Lead