The ATBUK Committee met for their first meeting of 2012 on 31st January to discuss a number of issues relating to Thai businesses in the UK.

These issues included the following:

1. The role of ATBUK in promoting and facilitating the Hospitality Guild’s Apprenticeships in Thai Cuisine programme.
2. Updates on status of exporting controlled vegetables from Thailand to the EU and progress on the potential lifting of the ban by the EU on raw chicken exported from Thailand.
3. The Golden Mortar Thai Cooking Competition so called “Mortier Thai Chef” planned to take place later in the year.
4. The plan to organise a cooking course in the UK for the second time following on from the success of the ATBUK Cooking Course held in 2010.

Details for when the next meeting will be held will be published in due course.

On Monday 31st January 2012, ATBUK committee members and representatives of various Thai companies in the UK, gathered at the Royal Thai Embassy for a seminar on a new initiative from the Hospitality Guild to provide Asian and Oriental Cuisine training to British residents through a brand new apprenticeship scheme. 

With funding from the government People 1st, a training and skills specialist for the hospitality industry, has lead the establishment of a fully comprehensive programme designed to prepare students for employment in commercial kitchens through a mix of formal training and work experience.

The Hospitality Guild encompasses several hospitality training bodies consisting of People 1st, the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, BII, the Institute of Hospitality, Springboard UK, AICR, the Academy of Culinary Arts, the Academy of Food and Wine Service, the Professional Association of Catering Educators and the Worshipful Company of Innholders. Their aim is to train up to fifty apprentices for entry into work in the Asian and Oriental Cuisine sector in the first year of the programme which is being run in partnership with “Centres of Excellence”; Westminster Kingsway College, University of West London, Leeds City College, University College, Birmingham and Trafford College, Manchester.

The aim of the seminar was to explain the process behind the apprenticeship to those in attendance and to stimulate interest amongst Thai restaurant owners who may be willing to take on trainees for part-time employment at their own establishments. Having had a positive experience of working with apprentices, Khun Saipin Lee of ATBUK and Patara Restaurants has been liaising with the Hospitality Guild along with representatives from other areas of Asian and Oriental Cuisine to assist them in creating a beneficial apprenticeship scheme for both the student and potential employers.

Khun Savaporn Issaravit of Thai Upon Thames and ATBUK noted that her restaurants had indeed taken on apprentices through other channels and that the experience had been a very positive one for both the non-Thai student and the existing team within her kitchen.

Several attendees expressed an interest in getting involved with the new apprenticeship scheme with some already showing a desire to assist in extending the scope of the programme beyond the reach of the current pilot run.

Training those who are currently resident in the country, British or otherwise, to become qualified Thai chefs is seen as way to circumvent future problems which may arise from a change to immigration law which makes it increasingly challenging for restaurants to employ skilled staff from abroad.

Full more details please download the PowerPoint file used by Annette Allmark of the Hospitality Guild during the seminar.

The very latest list of approved exporters of selected Thai vegetable products has been released by the Thai Ministry of Agriculture.

The list published on 30th January 2012 now features a total of 11 export companies. 

You can download the latest list as PDF here.

Apprenticeships in Thai Cuisine:

Tuesday 31st January 2012, 2pm - 3:30pm, Ground Floor Meeting Room, Royal Thai Embassy, London

This seminar by representatives from People1st and Westminster Kingsway College is aimed at those who are looking to begin or further a career in Thai cuisine and marks the beginning of measures to attempt to alleviate a potential shortage of skilled Thai chefs amongst Thai restaurants in the UK which may arise from alterations to British immigration law.

Please notify ATBUK of your intention to attend by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone to 0207 225 5517.

The next ATBUK Committee Meeting:

31st January 3:30pm – 4:30pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Royal Thai Embassy, London

This session is for committee members only to discuss the current and upcoming activities of ATBUK.

The meeting follows a seminar on "Apprenticeships in Thai Cuisine".

ATBUK would like to announce that as of Tuesday 9th Jan 2012, there are now a total of 10 packing houses entered onto the approved establishment list that can export 5 groups of controlled vegetable exports from Thailand to the EU.

|Download the full list as a PDF here|

Please check back for further updates regarding this case.

Please join ATBUK in voting for VAT reduction by simply clicking the following link

https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/10288

On 28th November 2011, ATBUK Committees met with Ambassador Kitti Wasinondh at the Royal Thai Embassy in London to donate £2,500 towards flood relief efforts in Thailand. The said donation will be transferred to support the Thai Red Cross's various activities in helping the flood victims in many affected provinces of Thailand. ATBUK and Thai businesses in the UK share our sympathy with the affected people in Thailand and hope that the situation will return to normal very soon.

All members of ATBUK are invited to a special annual meeting hosted by the ATBUK committee on Monday 28th November at the Royal Thai Embassy.

The meeting will be a chance for all members to gain an insight into to the work of ATBUK over the past year as well as discuss the issues on which the group will focus in the future.

The annual meeting is a great opportunity for Thai business owners to come together and discuss the issues that are currently affecting them with the ATBUK committee.
All those in attendance will receive a small gift as a gesture of thanks to all of our valued members.

ATBUK Annual Meeting:

Monday 28th November 2011, 10am – 12pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Royal Thai Embassy, London

Please confirm your attendance by Thursday 24th November using one of the following contact methods:

e-mail:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Telephone:  0207 225 4890
Fax:   0207 823 9695

ATBUK has received the following communication from MAC, the Migration Advisory Committee concerning the following issues regarding proposed changes to UK immigration law. Before changes are implemented MAC seeks the opinions of those who may be affected by any changes to such laws by means of public consultations, know as "calls for evidence":

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been asked by the Government to advise on what level the annual limit for Tier 2 should be set at for 2012/13 and on some associated policies including the minimum skill level for Tier 2, intra-company transfers and the Resident Labour Market Test.  In order to assist in its consideration of these issues, the Migration Advisory Committee has today launched a call for evidence and would like to hear from all those with an interest.

The closing date for responses is 21 December.

Download the documents you need to have your say below:

| Full details of the Call for Evidence on Tier 2 letter |
| Instructions on How to Respond to the Call for Evidence |

The next ATBUK Committee Meeting:

17th November 3pm – 5pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Royal Thai Embassy, London

This session is for committee members only to discuss the activities of ATBUK as well as the current situation regarding severe flooding in Thailand and the ways in which ATBUK could contribute to the relief effort.

The date and time of the next member meeting will be decided during this ATBUK Committee session.

On the 10th of October 2011, ATBUK Chair and Committee members met with Mr. Anusorn Kraiwatnussorn, Thailand's Vice Minister of Labour during his visit to the UK for a lunch at Blue Elephant restaurant. He discussed with ATBUK issues surrounding on-going Thai business and the employment of Thai workers in the UK. The Vice Minister also had a chance to meet and talk to some of the Thai chefs that participated in the recent ATBUK cooking course organised in September in collaboration with Department of Skills Development of Thailand.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand has set-up a special account to accept donations for the ongoing relief effort that is currently underway in Thailand as the nation faces the worst flooding seen in years. If you would like to make a donation towards this effort you can do so using one of the methods below:

Bank Transfer:

Transfer funds directly to the Ministry of Thailand’s “Donations for Flood Victims” account using the following details:

Bank Name:       Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited, Samyod Branch
Account Name:  Donations for Flood Victims
Account No:      Savings Account No. 002-028256-7
Address:            632 Mahachai Road, Wangburaphapirom, Phranakorn, Bangkok 10200
Swift Code:       KRTHTHBK

By Cheque:

If you prefer to pay by cheque the Royal Thai Embassy can take your donation and will ensure it reaches the official donation fund on your behalf.

Please make your cheque payable to “Royal Thai Embassy, London” marking the back with the words “Donations for Flood Victims” and send to the following address:

Donations for Flood Victims
Royal Thai Embassy
29-30 Queens Gate
London
SW7 5JB

All donations are received with the deepest gratitude on behalf of the Thai nation during this difficult time.

Below is the current list of approved suppliers able to export fresh vegetables from Thailand to the E.U:

1. บริษัท สวิฟท์ จำกัด -  Swift Co., Ltd. - http://www.thaifreshproduce.com

2. บริษัทไทยเวอร์ล อิมปอร์ต เอ็กซปอร์ต จำกัด -  Thai World Import & Export Co., Ltd. - http://www.tw.co.th

3. บริษัท คูรเนอร์ อะโกร เอ็กซปอร์ต เซ็นเตอร์ จำกัด - Koerner Agro Export Center Co.,Ltd.  - http://www.koerneragro.com       

4. บริษัทอะกริ เฟรช จำกัด - AgriFresh Co.,Ltd. - http://www.agrifreshco.com

5. บริษัทเอเชีย เอ็กโซติค คอร์ปอเรชั่น จำกัด - Asia Exotic Corporation Ltd. - www.asia-exotic.thailand.com

6. บริษัทเอ็กเซล ฟรุ๊ทต์ จำกัด - Excel Fruits Co.,Ltd. - http://www.excelfruits.com

7. บริษัทวี เอส เฟรชโค จำกัด - V.S. Freshco Co.,Ltd. - http://www.vsfreshco.com

You can now find a selection of recipes from the top students as decided by Ajarn Srisamorn in each group from the ATBUK Thai Chef Skill Development Course which took place last month in the new VeryThai.co.uk Recipe section.

Follow this link to find out more: Exclusive Recipes from Top Cooking Students at VeryThai.co.uk

The following downloads are materials used during the ATBUK Cooking Course at the University of West London with Ajarn Srisamorn.

The first file explains the benefits of individual herbs in authentic Thai cooking and is in English.

The second file contains four recipes from Ajarn Srisamorn as cooked by the students in the practical sessions throughout the course. The recipes are in Thai.

File 1: Benefits of Thai Herbs

File 2: Recipes from Ajarn Srisamorn

Cooking Course Image Gallery: View photos from the course at the VeryThai.co.uk Facebook Page.

The ATBUK and Department of Skills Development cooking course began yesterday with the students being given a masterclass by Ajarn Srisamorn Kongphan.

Ambassador for Thailand His Execellency Mr Kitti Wasinond opened the course whosted by West London University and sponsored by The Royal Thai Embassy, VeryThai.co.uk, Rumwong Restaurant in Guildford, Nava Thai Restaurant at the Hamilton Arms in Stedham, Blue Elephant and Manning Impex.

ATBUK and The Department of Skills Development of the Thai Ministry of Labour have opened applications for those wishing to participate in a special training programme for Thai chefs working in the UK.

Participation in the course will be free for chefs representing ATBUK members and £40 for non-members. A limited number of 60 student places are available.

The course will take place at West London University (formerly Thames Valley University) from the 5th – 8th September 2011.

The 5th of September will be a session on the theory behind kitchen skills development. Sessions on the 6th, 7th and 8th will be based on practical skills. Students must select one practical session only, each of which will have a capacity of up to 20 students.

Full terms and conditions can be found on the attached application form:

|Download: Cooking Course Application Form|

The following is an official message from the Royal Thai Embassy regarding the riots that continue to take place in London and accross the UK:

ตามที่ได้เกิดเหตุการณ์จลาจล และการชุมนุมประท้วง ในบางพื้นที่ในกรุงลอนดอน (Tottenham, Tottenham Hale, Wood Green, Chingford Mount, Enfield, Islington, Oxford Circus, Ponders End, Walthamstow, Ealing, Camden, Hackney, Clapham, Peckham, Woolwich, Lewisham, Croydon)และเหตุการณ์ได้ลุกลามไปยังเมือง Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol และ Birmingham ในสหราชอาณาจักร นั้น

สถานเอกอัครราชทูต ณ กรุงลอนดอนขอแจ้งว่ากลุ่มธุรกิจร้านอาหารเป็นอีกกลุ่มหนึ่งที่อาจได้รับผลกระทบจากการก่อเหตุไม่สงบโดยกลุ่มผู้ก่อการจรจลและผู้ประท้วง จึงขอให้ช่วยประชาสัมพันธ์ไปยังสมาชิกร้านอาหาร โดยเฉพาะในพื้นที่กรุงลอนดอนและเมืองที่เกิดเหตุการณ์ไม่สงบข้างต้น ทั้งนี้ ขอให้ติดตามข้อมูลข่าวสารอย่างใกล้ชิดและเพิ่มความระมัดระวัง รวมทั้งปฏิบัติตามคำแนะนำของทางการสหราชอาณาจักรอย่างเคร่งครัด และสามารถตรวจสอบข้อมูลล่าสุดได้จากเว็บไซต์ของสถานเอกอัครราชทูตฯ (www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk) และหากประสบปัญหาขอให้ติดต่อสถานเอกอัครราชทูตฯ ได้ที่หมายเลขโทรศัพท์ 079 1865 1720 (สายด่วน) และ 020 7589 2944 (ฝ่ายกงสุล)

ขอขอบพระคุณมา ณ โอกาสนี้

The ATBUK committee members met with a delegation from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion (OSMEP) and the Thai SMEs business group from Thailand on Tuesday 26th July in order to exchange ideas and experiences with regard to business establishment, market access and management in both Thailand and the UK.

Predominantly based in the food sector, the business delegation was partly made up of participating companies featured in the Team Thailand in London’s recent “Senses of Thailand” food promotion at Selfridges (14th -30th July 2011) including mulberry tea brand Ranong tea, grape juice brand Village Farm and Mae Bun Mee, a Thai mango cake producer.

The aim of the meeting was to enhance the understanding of ATBUK members regarding the operation and potentials of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand as well as the ways in which the group works to assist such businesses in Thailand while also bettering the understanding of Thai SME’s regarding the operation of Thai businesses in the UK. This extended to the related rules and regulations of establishing a business in the UK and how to form the right marketing strategies for the UK market.

On Monday 18th July representatives of the Office of Agriculture, Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels as well as the Department of Agriculture in Thailand met with ATBUK members to inform them of progress being made in order to combat the on-going problems relating the export of some fresh Thai vegetables into the EU.

The panel explained to those in attendance the ways in which the Thai government is working to adjust the systems of both production and packing of fresh produce to ensure that EU standards are adhered to and the future smooth running of Thai to EU exports.

At present Thailand is continuing to implement a 100% control check on regulated fresh produce exports to the EU and putting in place new requirements for packing houses to ensure EU standards are met right from their contracted farms in order to gain approval to enter onto the “Establishment List” (EL) to be able to export their produce to the EU. So far there have been 4 companies that have been approved to export some of the controlled vegetables from Thailand, which include Swift, Thai World Import Export, Kurner Agro Export and Agri Fresh.

The panel advised all buyers in Europe to encourage their exporting counterparts in Thailand to work to gain approval to be included on the EL and thus ensure the whole process of exporting fresh produce from Thailand to the EU can return to normal as soon as possible.
 
For the most current and up to date information on the progress made regarding this matter, including the details of approved exporters, ATBUK members should check the website from the Thai government dedicated to European affairs at www.thaieurope.net. 

The Department of Agriculture in Thailand has recently sent ATBUK the following update on their efforts to create an official “Establishment List” of those producers that can ensure their vegetables, herbs and spices meet the criteria for export into the EU market.
 
The Department states that 23 Thai producers have come forward to apply for entry onto the Establishment List. In addition to these produces two packaging plants have already met the specified criteria for exports, they are:

1. Swift Ltd.: As of 13th May 2011 approved produce for this plant are chillies, two varieties of aubergine, parsley, holy basil and sweet basil.

2. Thai World Import Export Ltd.: As of 9th Jun 2011 approved produce for this plant are chillies, one variety of aubergine and sweet basil.

The latest ATBUK committee meeting took place on Thursday 26th May 2011 at the Royal Thai Embassy, London.

The committee members further discussed issues surrounding the import of vegetables from Thailand, changes to UK immigration law (also the focus of the seminar following the meeting) and the impact these changes are having on Thai business as well as the introduction of their UK based Thai Chef Skills Development course later this year.

With obtaining work permits becoming more difficult a focus is now being given to developing skills within the existing Thai community in the UK. The ATBUK Thai Chef Skills Development course will allow a group of chefs to attend a course taught by a professional chef from Thailand.

In addition to this, Mrs Saipin Lee of Patara brought to the attention of the committee that People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism, will be submitting a bid to the Government’s Growth ad Innovation Fun to develop a Guild for Asian and Oriental restaurants. The project would include the development of five Asian and Oriental centres of excellence situated in central and West London, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.

To show your support for People 1st’s initiative please complete their online survey at: www.people1stsurveys.co.uk/guild/

Singha Beer and Edu-Plus also highlighted a government initiative launched to target underaged drinking in 2009 whereby customers under the legal drinking age are sent into businesses to test whether the staff are effectively implementing the “Challenge 21” policy. Ajarn Kanungnit of Edu-Plus reminded those present that serving underage customers is a breach of the law and would have an impact upon the license status of those businesses failing to identify underage customers. Singha Beer and Edu-Plus have produced posters to be distributed amongst Thai restaurants in the UK to further remind staff that it is always essential to check for valid ID if they are in doubt that their customer is over the age of 21.

To learn how you can get copies of the Singha Beer Challenge 21 posters to put up in your own business please contact Edu-Plus on 0871 2003441.

The Royal Thai Embassy and ATBUK were honoured to be joined by Mr Tanup Gadhia, Senior Compliance and Account Manager, and Mr Steve Fisher, Head of Local Immigration Teams in West London, from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to give a seminar on the changes to UK Immigration Policy which currently affects Thai business in the UK.

Mr Steve Fisher gave the first presentation to outline and further clarify the work of the UKBA as well as give some facts and figures relating to UK immigration statistics. Following this, Mr Tanup Gadhia took the opportunity to explain the Points Based Immigration System and aims of UKBA in making adjustments to the system. This includes reducing net migration by making restrictions across all categories of migrant including those coming to the UK to study or join family members and not just economic migrants. The aim of introducing the Points Based System is to reduce overall discretion of authorities in making decisions on immigration cases, however, in practice, inconsistencies still remain. But UKBA has put its best effort into improving the system as well as making its website more users friendly. However, the main challenges for UKBA is to reduce the number of migrants to the level specified by the Government and reduce abuses of visa system, while ensuring that those that are granted entry to the UK are the most worthy and offer a genuine contribution to UK economic growth.


The presentations from both UKBA representatives are available to download as PDF files at the end of this article.


Following the presentations the floor was opened for questions. Amongst the issues raised was the question that new English language level requirements for potential migrants may be too high especially for those that are coming to the UK for the purpose of language study and as such would have limited prior skills development. These changes may present a challenge as the UK attempts to maintain its status as one of the world’s best English language learning hub. Other audience members raised concern at having received inconsistent messages from UKBA during correspondence and the confusing nature of the UKBA website.



One particular Thai restaurant owner, seeking to become a work permit sponsor, also took the opportunity to seek clarification as to what defines a “standard fare” and “fast food” restaurant, the latter which can not apply for sponsorship status, as his business, which offers takeaway food along side a full service restaurant, had been rejected in it’s application on the grounds it was “fast food” establishment.

The panel tried answer all questions and took them as valuable feedback in improving their work regarding immigration policy in the UK. ATBUK invite you to submit more questions or inquiries by e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , which would then be coordinated and forwarded to UKBA.

The next ATBUK Meeting:

Thursday 26th May 10am - 11am, Ground Floor Reception Room, Royal Thai Embassy, London

This session is for committee members only to discuss the current activities of ATBUK.

Upcoming ATBUK Seminar: "UK Immigration Policy"

Opening remarks will be made by HE Mr. Kitti Wasinondh, Ambassador of Thailand. The panel will be made up of Mr Tanup Gadia, Senior Account Manager of the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and Mr Steve Fisher, Head of Local Immigration Teams for London Borough of Brent, Hammersmith & Fulham with Kensington & Chelsea as well as members of the ATBUK Committee.

Thursday 26th May 10:30am - 12:30pm, First Floor Meeting Room. Royal Thai Embassy, London

People 1st Training Company are offering discounted places on group training courses in May when booked before April 22nd. The courses are as follows:

Tuesday 3rd - Thursday 5th May – Group Training Certificate – Uxbridge
Tuesday 24th - Thursday 26th May – ABC for Trainers – Uxbridge
Wednesday 25th - Friday 27th May – Group Training Certificate – Manchester

Please contact Ruth Mills on 01895 817021 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The ATBUK committee have extended the period of free membership for Thai businesses until the end of July 2011.

|Click here to download the updated application form|

The Migration Advisory Committee is currently reviewing its policy as to which professions will remain on the UK’s skills shortage list. As MAC requires evidence that chef is an occupation that is in shortage and that there is cause to bring workers into the UK from overseas, it is up to UK businesses to respond and have our say.
See this PDF from MAC to see how you can make your voice heard. The deadline for submission is 10th June 2011.

Click here to find out more info.

The latest ATBUK committee meeting took place on Tuesday 5th of April 2011 at the Royal Thai Embassy, London.

Before the meeting began representatives from a group of Thai fashion students gave a presentation and appeal for support from the committee about their upcoming July 2011 fashion show at the Serpentine Gallery in London’s Hyde Park. Entitled “Re Make Re Model – The Reconceptualisation of Thai Textiles” the show intends to present the skill of young Thai fashion designers in the manipulation of Thai textiles produced under the Queen Sirikit Foundation. 

During the meeting the committee discussed the current state of applications to the group and ways in which efforts could be made to extend membership to those Thai businesses located outside of London. Suggested ideas included spreading the word through Thai student groups based in the UK as well as the organisation of a road show and introductory events throughout the UK. A recruitment drive from within the committee was also suggested with targets being set for personal recruitment numbers.

Feedback was given on the current situation with regard to the problematic import of certain Thai vegetables still affecting the EU. 100% checks of fresh produce at the port of departure have been introduced to comply with EU regulation. The Ministry of Agriculture is currently working to create a list of trusted exporters and hopes that in the future, with ongoing discussion Thailand will be able to prove that its exports can be made compliant for import into the EU without restriction once again.

With regards to changes in the UK immigration law and the issuing of work permits the committee discussed their efforts to demonstrate that professional chefs should remain on the UK shortage list and that the minimum chef’s salary (£28,260 per year excluding accommodation and meals) set out in the latest Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is too high and not practical given the existing arrangements of Thai chefs’ employment by most Thai restaurants in the UK. The committee also agreed to form a response to MAC as a group within the deadlines of their feedback period, which is the 10th of June 2011.

One development in this case is the organisation of 2-3 day intensive course for up to 50 Thai chefs in the UK by the Department of Skills Development of the Thai Ministry of Labour in collaboration with ATBUK. This would aim to up-skill existing Thai chefs in the UK with the focus on authenticity of Thai cuisine as well as special techniques in Thai cooking.  The committee discussed plans as to best accommodate these classes in a kitchen large enough to house 50 student chefs. More details on this will follow in the near future.

The next ATBUK committee meeting has been scheduled for Thursday 26th May.

The next ATBUK Committee Meeting:

Thursday 7th April, 10am - 11am, First Floor Meeting Room, Royal Thai Embassy London

(Please note the meeting was mistakenly advertised as Monday on the invitation sent out earlier this week.)

This committee member only meeting will address issues including vegetable imports and the UK shortage occupation list as well as general discussion on the functions of ATBUK.

The Office of Agricultural Affairs in Brussels would like to assess the affect that restrictions on the import of certain Thai vegetables to the UK is having upon Thai businesses. Please download (link below), complete and send the form back to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by the 5th of April 2011 to make your opinion count.

|Thai Vegetable Survey Download|

The committee members of ATBUK came together for their first meeting of the New Year on Thursday 27th January at the Royal Thai Embassy, London.

The session opened with a brief review of the year that has just passed touching on ATBUK’s activities running up to the official launch in September. These included food deliveries for Thai nationals stranded following the volcanic eruption in Iceland, the organisation of the UK based “Together We Can” campaign and various seminars including the most recent event arranged at London’s Lancaster Hotel to address the issues surrounding the import of certain fresh Thai herbs and vegetables into the EU.

It was also agreed that recent developments regarding the possibility of a suspension on the import of fresh produce to the EU from Thailand would be the biggest issue facing Thai businesses in the UK and that this would be where the majority of the groups focus would lie for the foreseeable future. In addition to keeping members informed with developments in the case efforts will be made by ATBUK to assist Thai businesses that rely on imported Thai vegetables in sourcing alternative products from other countries or in other forms of processed food ingredients.

The Meeting reviewed the latest status from the end of last year on membership application as well as financial support and also discussed the work plan for 2011, of which one of the seminars/activities to be held will aim to promote Thailand through Thai businesses with the kind support of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

It was agreed that the next meeting of the ATBUK committee will take place on the 24th of March 2011 at 10am.

Period of Free ATBUK Membership Extended:

The ATBUK Committee has decided to extend its preliminary period of free membership until the end of June 2011, after which a membership fee will come into place. You can download a membership form using the links from the Document Downloads section on the left hand side of the page.

ATBUK is aware that the current biggest problem facing the operation of Thai business in the UK is difficulty surrounding the import of certain fresh Thai vegetables and herbs into the EU. With this in mind the group joined forces with the Royal Thai Embassy, DEP, and the Office of Agriculture in Brussels to organise a seminar on vegetable imports from Thailand which took place on 27th January 2011 at the Royal Thai Embassy.

The seminar discussed the latest developments in the EU regulations for “high risk” vegetable imports which mainly concern problem items such as Thai aubergines, sweet basil, holy basil, coriander, mint and some types of chilli. Shortage of these ingredients could spell trouble for many Thai businesses in the UK, the majority of which are made up of more than 1500 restaurants and cafes, not to mention supermarkets and grocery suppliers.

Recent warning has come from the EU following concerns of plant health standards with regard to shipments of Thai vegetables which could pose a threat to European agriculture. Failure to meet EU standards may result in a suspension of some groups of vegetable imports to the EU from Thailand. Thai authorities have continuously consulted the EU in order to seek ways forward to avoid a formal European Union imposed ban on Thai imports. Some of the alternative measures to be taken could be a temporary self-ban or a 100% check at port of departure.   

ATBUK, in coalition with the Royal Thai Embassy and Thai Trade London (DEP) are working together to keep businesses well informed of the developments relating to Thai vegetable imports as well as the ways in which Thai authorities are working to ensure the smooth flowing of future Thai imports into the UK. The group are also seeking ways in which alternative products can be sourced while Thai produce is hard to come by, while in turn ensuring that those Thai businesses that are dependent on such exports are able to continue trading as usual.

The latest ATBUK seminar was attended by Mr. Cholavit Chulabutra, a representative from the Thai Ministry of Agricultural Affairs in Brussels. Mr Cholabutra assured those in attendance that the Ministry of Agriculture is working hard to ensure that Thai farmers and producers are better informed and equipped to meet European Standards and also to implement better internal checking of shipments prior to them leaving Thailand.

The next ATBUK Committee Meeting:

27th January 10am – 11am, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Royal Thai Embassy, London

This session is for committee members only to discuss the activities of ATBUK over the past year and to form plans for the year ahead.

The next ATBUK Member Seminar: “Issues surrounding imports of fresh vegetables from Thailand.”

Thai language seminar for all ATBUK members to attend. The seminar will be given by a representative from the Office of Agricultural Affairs, Brussels.

27th January 11am – 1pm, Ground Floor Reception Room, Royal Thai Embassy, London

|Application Form Download|

|Thai Press Release Download|

|English Press Release Download|

Members of the ATBUK committee and other businesses working closely with suppliers of fresh Thai produce attended the group’s seminar to improve understanding of E.U. laws surrounding the import of fresh products on 23 September 2010.

The seminar panel was made up of Mr. Alan Curran of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Minister Adisai Dhummakupt of the Thai Office of Commercial Affairs, London, Ms. Pasinee Napombejra, the Assistant Director of the Thai Office of Agricultural Affair, Brussels and moderated by Mr. Wanchai Poonum, ATBUK’s Vice Chairperson.

His Excellency Mr Kitti Wasinondh gave opening remarks expressing an understanding of the growing frustrations of those businesses relying on imported Thai produce and the difficulties that increased checking of fresh Thai produce may pose for them. His Excellency also commented that events such as the seminar which would allow business owners to engage in discussion with the FSA were a valuable means of increasing understanding as well as working towards finding a solution to perceived problems in the field of imports.

Alan Curran of the FSA assured those present that UK Government has obligations as a Member State of the EU to enforce the rules. But he also stated that he felt the UK had been “disproportionately hit” by the increase in checks and that this has caused problems for those businesses relying on the timely delivery of such shipments. He mentioned that UK Government has a plan to put to the European Commission a draft paper specifying what UK feels would be proper implementation procedures in an attempt to reduce unnecessary adverse impacts and to increase consistency of fees as well as duration of lab checks. Mr Curran also touched on other possible solutions to the high frequency of shipment checks such as the certification and accreditations of suppliers but added that this was a challenge to implement as the system of certification must be fraud resistant, while it must be ensured that E.U. standards are met in foreign production and that shipments enter the UK in tact.

Ms. Pasinee Napombejra of the Thai Office of Agricultural Affairs made it clear to the audiences that the aim of the Thai Government is to educate Thai producers as to how they can produce food for export that meets E.U. regulation, e.g. the correct use of fertilizers. In addition to this the Office of Agricultural Affairs proposes increased internal assessment of food production and the creation of some kind of incentive for those producers and exporters who implement effective self policing to meet required E.U. standards. The establishment of contract farming, with external investment contribution from the UK, was also suggested as a means of encouraging farmers to produce products that would meet EU standards as well as guaranteeing availability of long-term supplies for importers in the UK.

For the final part of the seminar Mr. Rungsan Mulijan, Corporate Chef of Blue Elephant International, gave comments on Thai cooking techniques and ways to preserve authenticity. Mr. Mulijan commented that, being a proud Thai chef, it is important for him that all ingredients that go into his dishes are sourced from his homeland. While some European countries are now producing an alternative to certain products, from his experiences, only Thai produced ingredients would create a truly authentic taste. When asked what a suitable alternative to fresh produce would be Mr. Mulijan commented that dry or frozen produce would make the substitutes if importing fresh produce were to continue to be a problem.

ATBUK would like to thank all that attended the seminar, the panelists for making a great effort to create presentations and discussion points as well as Lancaster Hotel for accommodating the session.

ATBUK feels that the problem of importing Thai produces to the EU requires a deep understanding of the matters as well as a continued concerted effort from all parties concerned. ATBUK is proud to be a part of promoting better understanding of such Regulation while trying to find the best possible solutions to mitigate its adverse impacts on Thai businesses both for the short and long-term. ATBUK stands ready to help and support Thai businesses in the UK with its plans to arrange more activities similar to this seminar in the near future.

Please check back on ATBUK homepage for more details.

Thursday 23^rd September 2010, 9am – 12pm

Lancaster Hotel, London:

Understanding EU Regulation on “High Risk” Vegetable Imports from Thailand, Ways ahead for Thai Businesses in the UK

Thai Business owners are invited to the above seminar which will be attended by Mr. Alan Curran, Head of Official Controls and Enforcement Strategy Team, of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), representatives of the Office of Agricultural Affairs of the Royal Thai Embassy, Brussels (tbc).

In addition to discussion on import laws of the EU the second session of the seminar, from 11:20 to 12pm, will be entitled “Keeping up Authenticity, Techniques in Thai Cuisine” and led by Mrs. Saipin Lee or Patara Restaurant.

|IMPORTANT| If you would like to attend the seminar please reserve your place by contacting ATBUK at either This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at your earliest convenience as seats are limited.

ATBUK was formally launched on Thursday 9^th September at an event held at the Royal Thai Embassy, London.

Committee members and representatives from many Thai and related businesses as well as the Foreign Common Wealth Office, UKTI, the House of Commons, the FSA, Asia House, Anglo-Thai Society, Samaggi Samagom and members of the Thai and UK press gathered to hear opening speeches from the Minister of Finance for Thailand, Mr. Korn Chatikavanij, the Thai Ambassador, Mr. Kitti Wasinondh and the Chair of ATBUK, Mrs Surapee Kannasutra.

The ATBUK committee was particularly grateful for the attendance of the Thai Minister of Finance who gave his blessing to the establishment of a new Association of Thai Businesses in the UK and assured support of the Thai Government in the work of the committee.  

On the 19^th of August representatives from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and ATBUK met at the Royal Thai Embassy to discuss upcoming changes to UK immigration law.

Before a change in policy is made MAC makes efforts to communicate with stakeholders that have a good knowledge of the areas that will be affected by upcoming policy alterations. As well as businesses members of the general public are invited to have their say.

Have Your Say:

While ATBUK acts as the voice of Thai businesses in the UK and has already sent a formal letter to MAC, we would encourage individual business owners to respond to the MAC consultation questions concerning the changes in the law. To help you form your responses we have translated key questions in the MAC consultation document.

You must respond by Tuesday the 7^th of September via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or via post to Migration Advisory Committee, 1st Floor, Green Park House, 29 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CRO 2AJ. All information including the consultation document can be found on the Home Office website.

Download the Thai translation of the consultation questions from the "Consultation by MAC on the level of an Annual Limit on Economic Migration in the UK", pages 15-17.

Don’t miss out, have your say by September 7^th

Following the last ATBUK meeting on 29^th July 2010 and further discussion on the EU Regulations which pose increasing difficulties in importing certain kinds of vegetables and herbs from Thailand into the UK, it was decided that the members of the ATBUK could play a valuable role in acting as the “voice of Thai businesses in the UK” in talks with the British Food Standards Agency. In light of this, a seminar will be arranged, inviting representatives of the FSA to the Royal Thai Embassy, to discuss the tightening of import laws concerning Thai vegetables. 

Please check back to the ATBUK homepage soon to find out the date of the upcoming seminar which is planned for September.

The next ATBUK committee meeting will take place on Thursday the 26th of August at 2:30pm, at the Royal Thai Embassy, London. 

The committee of ATBUK met once more on Monday  28th June 2010 at 10.00 am, to further discuss the ways in which the group can support Thai Businesses in the UK.

His Excellency Mr Kitti Wasinondh opened the session with some comments on the success of the recent Thailand at Trafalgar festival and positive feedback on the presence of the “Together We Can” branded T-shirts sponsored by ATBUK. In addition to this His Excellency commented on the support that ATBUK committee members could potentially lend to help in the Government’s efforts to promote Thailand-UK cooperation in areas such as agro-industry, renewable energy, education and creative economy.

In addition, the meeting decided that more PR work should be carried out and that a formal launch of ATBUK will be planned provisionally to take place in September.

Aside from this further discussion was made on the formalities of proposing ideas to the committee and the process of discussion leading to support of any given motion. It was also suggested that ATBUK should reach out to a wider audience in other regions outside of London.

As part of the discussion on ATBUK legislation it was also considered that there might be a membership fees with a list or package of member benefits yet to be finalized.

The next meeting has been planned for Thursday 29^th July 2010 at 2pm.

Trafalgar square was awash with lovely people, both Thai and other nationalities, wearing Together We Can T-shirts yesterday as ATBUK’s campaign was introduced to the public for the first time…

The campaign got off to a great start and received many donations in return for limited edition Together We Can tees and badges. In fact, demand for t-shirts was so high that not all those interested could be satisfied.

If you are still waiting for a T-shirt please keep an eye on www.verythai.co.uk as information on how and where to order yours will be uploaded when it becomes available. We will also add information to the VeryThai Facebook page and Twitter.

ATBUK would like to thank everyone who we spoke to at Thailand at Trafalgar Square for your support and interest so far.

More information about the Together We Can campaign can be found here.

The latest meeting of ATBUK was held on Thursday the 27th of May.

The committee members met to discuss the role that the group can play in bringing Thai's together during this difficult period following the unrest in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand. Inspired by the efforts of those in Bangkok working together to clean up the city following the clearance of protestors ATBUK came up with a number of possible ways that Thai's based in the UK could help the efforts to overcome Thailand's political difficulties.

Suggestions included exhibitions, organised talks and debates, as well as concert events to bring up Thai morale. In addition to these suggestions it was agreed that ATBUK would coordinate the manufacture and sale of T-shirts bearing the slogan "Together we can".

The phrase has been seen in Bangkok since the burning of several high profile buildings following the clearance of the anti-government protestors and is designed to boost the morale of Thai people working for unity in the country. The ATBUK T-shirts will be produced for sale with all profits going towards the promotion of democracy amongst the youth in Thailand.

The logic behind the ATBUK "Together we can" campaign is that through education on the way that democracy functions in the West, young Thais will be able to better appreciate living in a democratic country and better understand the way that politics works without the need for violent protest.

 Details on pricing and where you can get your own "Together we can" T-shirt to follow on the ATBUK site.

The committee's next meeting has been penciled in for the 28th of June.

The Association of Thai Businesses got together today to support those Thai people who have been stranded in the UK following the grounding of all UK flights due to last week’s volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Coordinated by Mickey from Lancaster Hotel, four restaurants in the capital produced one hundred boxes of fresh Thai food to be distributed amongst those still trying to rearrange their travel home.

The boxes were kindly donated by Chaophraya Eat Thai, Greatest Taste Café, Tawana, and Rumwong Thai restaurants and were delivered to stranded Thai nationals at the Royal Thai Embassy, Heathrow Airport and Buddhapadipa temple in Wimbledon.

The latest meeting of the Association of Thai Businesses in the UK was held at the Royal Thai Embassy, London on Thursday 18th March 2010.

Representatives from more than twenty Thai businesses in the UK met for discussion and agreed upon the appointment of an official ATBUK committee chair person, vice chair persons and secretary of the Association. In addition to this the way to proceed with structuring the committee into smaller working groups, to cover particular issues and tasks was also under discussion.

A draft regulation document outlining the aims of the Association has been drawn up and was reviewed by all of the representatives present. Those in attendance had the chance to share their views as to what the Association of Thai Business should be aiming to achieve and in which areas the group may be able to assist the smooth running of Thai businesses in the UK.

Issues covered included:

•  work permits and visa requirements for Thai workers, in particular with regard to changes in the law on student visa work allowances
• complications of achieving work permit sponsorship status as an employee 
• current restrictions on importing Thai produce including vegetables and fresh and frozen chicken meat to restaurants
• effort to extend ATBUK membership to cover those businesses based beyond London 
• the role ATBUK can play in Thai events
• the division of the ATBUK committee into working groups covering the above areas of imports, events, and work permits.

In the meeting it was stressed that the formation of ATBUK is to assist all Thai businesses in the UK and that the committee will stringently promote rights and opportunities for Thai businesses to be involved and for their voices to be heard. The founders of the Association envision ATBUK to be a forum to exchange knowledge and expertise amongst Thai business owners to benefit all Thai employers and employees equally. This includes those working for businesses that are not purely Thai owned but that are deemed to be beneficial to Thailand.

The next meeting has been penciled in for the 20th May 2010. This will be confirmed here on the official ATBUK site soon. 

Reminder: In a change to the planned meeting arrangement the next meeting of the Association of Thai Businesses will take place at the Royal Thai Embassy, London on 18th March at 2:30pm.

On the 18th December the Royal Thai Embassy, London, played host to the first formal meeting of the Association of Thai Businesses in the UK to discuss an action plan for the future of the group.

His Excellency Mr. Kitti Wasinondh chaired the meeting as a committee has not yet been officially appointed. The group discussed the logistics of supporting Thai workers and business owners in the UK as well as terms of membership and funding.

The next meeting has been agreed for 18th March at 2:30pm and will again be held at the Thai Embassy, London.

On the 23rd of November the Royal Thai Embassy, London hosted the first informal meeting of the proposed new "Association of Thai Businesses in the UK" for Thai nationals working in the UK. The seminar, opened by His Excellency Mr. Kitti Wasinondh, focussed on promoting awareness of changing UK immigration laws coming into effect in January 2010.

Participants from more than twenty Thai businesses attended the seminar given by representatives Nigel Sellens and Keith Smith of Harbour HR and in association with Patara Fine Thai Cuisine.

In addition to the presentation on immigration law representatives from a previous incarnation of the Association met to discuss the future of the group and its potential as a means of supporting the Thai community in the UK whilst working in conjunction with the Royal Thai Embassy.

Based in London, the purpose of ATBUK is to support Thai Businesses and their employees operating in the UK. We aim to offer advice on UK employment law; visa and work permit requirements as well as address any other concerns within the Thai Business Community.

In ATBUK we have created a solid organisation with the support of the Royal Thai Embassy, as a force to represent the Thai people working in Britain.