BANGKOK, Thailand – Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Yupa Taweewattanakitborvon attended a special exhibition on June 19, featuring award-winning titles from the 2024 Gourmand Awards, a prestigious international recognition in culinary publishing. Among the showcased works was “Naga Builds Community,” which earned first place globally in the Culinary Diplomacy category and garnered considerable attention.
During the event, Yupa extended congratulations to Watcharapong Radomsittipat, former President of the Ban Mai Subdistrict Administrative Organization in Ayutthaya province, whose book Sapodilla Ice Cream: From Local to Luxury won top honors in the Ice Cream category. The book tells the story of the 100-Year Ban Mai Sapodilla Ice Cream, created from a nearly forgotten local fruit that has been reimagined as a premium dessert through innovative value addition.
The project previously earned first place under Thailand’s Knowledge-Based OTOP program in 2022, reviving interest in the sapodilla fruit and offering a successful model for community-based income generation, local identity preservation, and knowledge-driven product development. The ice cream is now available at Thong Keep Ma Café in Luang Pu Thuat Market, Ayutthaya.
On June 20, Yupa joined senior officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and the Thai Trade Center in Madrid at the opening of the Thai Festival in Lisbon 2025. The event was co-chaired by Thai Ambassador Kanokwan Pengsuwan and the Mayor of Lisbon at Vasco da Gama Garden in the Belém district, home to the Thai Pavilion, built in 2012 to honor 500 years of Thai–Portuguese diplomatic relations.
Running through June 22, the festival showcases Thai cuisine, cultural performances, and creative exhibitions under the theme “Creative Pulse – The Pulse of Tradition, the Pulse of Tomorrow.” Activities include Muay Thai demonstrations, traditional music and dance, fruit carving, Thai massage, and interactive workshops such as storytelling, umbrella painting, and basket weaving. (NNT)
