HRH Princess MahaChakriSirindhorn Trophy Granted to Winners of RICE PLUS AWARD 2018

 For International Rice Recipe and Innovative Rice Product Contests

The Ministry of Commerce, by the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT), announced the winning list of the International Rice Recipe Contest and Innovative Rice Product Contest, organised under the “RICE PLUS AWARD 2018” project which serves to add value to Thai rice.

The top winners in both contests were awarded the royally-granted HRH Princess MahaChakriSirindhorn Trophies at the Award Ceremony taking place this evening (May 31,2018) at the Napalai Ballroom, DusitThani Hotel Bangkok, Thailand.

Deputy Commerce Minister Miss ChutimaBunyapraphasara chaired the event which was well attended by high-ranking ministry officials namely Permanent Secretary for Commerce MrsNuntawanSakuntanaga; Advisor to Deputy Commerce Minister,
MrsDuangpornRodphaya; Director General of the Department of Internal Trade
MrBoonyaritKalayanamit; Director General of Intellectual Property Department
MrThosaponeDansuputra. Host of the day, DFT’s Director General MrAdulChotinisakorn led his team to welcome distinguished guests as well as members of both judging committees, awarded contestants, and the mass media.

The award ceremony also received a long list of honourable guests including a group of businessmen from the Republic of Suriname under the leadership of Mr Stephen T.K.W. Tsang, Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, as well as MrSurasakSuparat, the Thai Ambassador to Brazil and Suriname.

“It is a great honour for the Ministry of Commerce that HRH Princess MahaChakriSirindhorn has graciously granted eight royal trophies for the RICE PLUS AWARD winners in all eight categories. The royal support has given us all great morale and inspiration to keep on developing rice innovations for the country,” said Deputy Commerce Minister Chutima.

“Rice is a very important agricultural commodity of Thailand. And the present Government gives high priority to ensure stable and sustainable income for rice farmers. The Government also supports the development of rice-based products which will significantly add commercial values to rice grains and meet new market demands,” he added.

According to Director General AdulChotinisakorn, "RICE PLUS AWARD 2018” is a joint initiative of the DFT and the Institute for Agricultural Product Innovation (APi) in line with “Thailand 4.0” policy to take the country toward value-based economy. One of the objectives, he said, was to develop and turn basic commodities into innovative products.

“The RICE PLUS AWARD 2018, being held for the first time, is our concrete attempt to meet the Government’s goals.  It has registered a great success as we received all together 279 highly-qualified entries, 169 for the International Rice Recipe Contest and 110 for the Innovative Rice Product Contest. We have recorded the nutrition-packed entries using diverse rice varieties from around Thailand as main ingredient, coming from all age groups ranging from 11 to 84. The contestants are also from various nationalities and professions, from Michelin-star chef to kitchen amateurs, from award-winning cooks to university students and housewives,” he said.

The Innovative Rice Product Contest has meanwhile garnered many world-class entries, he disclosed. “They come from professional innovators, senior professors, as well as university students. We are very impressed by their creativity, and their outstanding works make us proud of their talent. Many have already won international awards while others are research works full of potential for commercial success to boost national economy.  Importantly, the majority of rice innovations are from rice by-product, and this is certainly a great way to add value to Thai rice,” the Director General added.

The judging committees of RICE PLUS AWARD 2018 comprise experts and leading personalities in culinary, marketing, and innovation circles led by Director General AdulChotinisakorn himself in his capacity as chairman of both judging committees.

  

Also on the rice recipe committee are Mr Santi Savetwimol aka Mae Choice Nang Rum, famous food critic and “The Chairman” of Iron Chef Thailand. Others include the legendary Chef Norbert Kostner, advisor of the Royal Project and formerly the executive chef of Oriental Hotel fame; his former associate, Chef VichitMukura who now owns the famous Khao Restaurant; M.L. KwantipDevakula, a celebrated judge of MasterChef Thailand; Chef Mirco Keller of Water Library who has worked for Michelin-star restaurants; and MrSuthipong Suriya, a much sought-after food stylist and owner of Karb Studio which has won several international recognitions including the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

The judging committee of the Innovative Rice Product Contest comprises a list of gurus in the marketing and innovation circles. They are MrsPanpimonChunyanuwat, Director of the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA); M.L. KhathathongThongyai, Director of the Institute of Design and Innovation, Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce; DrAke Pattaratanakul, Director of Brand Center, Chulalongkorn Business School and author of all-time bestseller “Marketing Genius”;
MrSomprasongPayakapan, a key driver of cosmetics innovation in Thailand and Advisor of Thai Cosmetic Cluster under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry; DrThanathatSonthira, award winner of several innovative products; and last but not least, Mrs Payom Valaiphatchra, Executive Vice President of Syllable Co, Ltd and former Social and Entertainment Editor of Bangkok Post in her capacity as a committee member and the project secretary.