Ko Samui and Surat Thani to be featured in MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024

BANGKOK – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and The MICHELIN Guide announced the MICHELIN Guide Thailand’s expansion of its coverage to Ko Samui and Surat Thani in Southern Thailand – in its seventh edition, to be released at the end of this year. With the new additions, the 2024 edition of the MICHELIN Guide Thailand will cover Bangkok (since 2018), Phuket and Phang-nga (since 2019), Chiang Mai (since 2020), Ayutthaya (since 2022), Isan (since 2023), and Koh Samui and Surat Thani mainland.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said “The inclusion of Ko Samui and Surat Thani mainland in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand’s 2024 edition is an incredible opportunity for our local dining scene to welcome more global gastronomes to discover distinctive local flavours and culinary traditions. Above all, the MICHELIN Guide will take foodies on a gastronomic adventure, more in-depth each year, across Thailand to experience the diversity and richness of Thai cuisine.”

After three years of the pandemic, the hotel and restaurant sectors in Ko Samui and Surat Thani started witnessing positive signs of recovery and a remarkable turnaround to its local economy. Compared to 2021, Surat Thani tourism in 2022 has reached the highest growth in the country with tourism revenue increasing more than 900 percent from a 600 percent increase of tourists year on year. This demonstrates that the destination has potential to attract quality tourists, according to Mr. Yuthasak.

Sitting on the Gulf of Thailand near the mouth of the Tapi River, Surat Thani – the largest province in Thailand’s Southern region – has been known as “the province of a thousand islands”, including the archipelago that constitutes Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Tao, and the Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine National Park.

Rich in natural resources, Surat Thani has become one of the major sources of food for the region and the entire country – being famous for its large oysters, river prawns, and salted duck eggs.

As Surat Thani’s major tourist attraction, Ko Samui – Thailand’s second largest island after Phuket – offers a broad spectrum of tourist facilities – including a great selection of both Thai and international restaurants; as well as a wide variety of accommodations, ranging from 5-star hotels, world luxury resorts, local boutique hotels, to budget-friendly alternatives.

Mr. Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides, said “Our MICHELIN Guide inspectors found that Ko Samui and Surat Thani have many charming and interesting things to be discovered – be it natural wonders, cultural heritage, and culinary delights. From the inspectors’ point of view, the gastronomy there is unique and flavourful. There are many local dishes that cannot be found anywhere. What’s more, fresh local ingredients – especially seafood from local resources – are the key elements of the deliciousness.

“Apart from a wide variety of local and international cuisine offerings in its eclectic food scene, gorgeous ambiences plus the warm hospitality of the locals greatly contribute to our MICHELIN Guide inspectors’ impressive experiences,” said Mr. Poullennec.

The extension of territory coverage will not only further showcase the distinctive culinary depth of Southern Thailand, in addition to Phuket and Phang-nga that have been featured in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand since its 2019 edition; but also continue to celebrate Thailand’s rich and diverse gastronomic landscape.

“The MICHELIN Guide Thailand has been a key factor driving the growth of Thailand’s tourism sector, as local food experience creates positive image that can influence travel decisions, and also adds value to the overall travel experience. In other words, food is a soft power that inspires countless travellers to Thailand,” Mr. Yuthasak said.