The 8-day Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival (CPAFF) will kick off here in Chengdu on May 15. As one of the sub-events of the CPAFF, the "2019 Thai Festival Week in Chengdu" will begin on the same day.

During an interview on May 7, Mr. Vithit Powattanasuk, Consul General of the Royal Thai Consulate General in Chengdu talked about the similarities between Sichuan food and Thai cuisine, hoping to establish more platforms for the exchange and collaboration between Chengdu and his home country through the shared "spicy food culture".

"The Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival offers us a good chance to promote the Thai culture and cuisine, and is also a good opportunity for Chengdu people to know more and better about them," said Mr. Paowattanasuk. After having worked and lived in Chengdu for 8 months, he has fallen in love with the spicy Sichuan cuisine, especially Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken and Dandan noodles, etc. He believes that the Sichuan food and Thai cuisine share lots of commonalities, in particular, the spicy taste. But the former always leaves a slight numb sensation in the mouth while the latter often combines sour and hot flavors. In addition, both the Sichuan and Thai people are rice eaters.

According to Mr. Paowattanasuk, currently, there are about 120 Thai restaurants in Chengdu. Some universities of culinary arts in Thailand have established exchange programs with the Sichuan Tourism University. "Chengdu, which is building itself into an international city of gastronomy, should excel not only in Sichuan cuisine, but also in foods across the world. I believe that Thai food and catering services will have a far bigger market and better opportunities of development in Chengdu in the future."