THE PHILIPPINE franchise of Nara Thai has won its third Thai Select seal. The seal was awarded to its first branch in the Philippines in SM Megamall, which opened in 2018.

The Thai Select seal, a certification from the Ministry of Commerce of the Royal Thai Government, is a globally recognized mark of merit for restaurants that consistently deliver authentic Thai cuisine and exceptional hospitality. In a statement, Nara Thai Philippines Chief Executive Officer Sheila Romero said, “The Thai Select seal is more than just a seal of recognition. It is a promise that every dish we serve stays true to authentic Thai flavors, made with select ingredients from Bangkok, and prepared with the same care and tradition that define Thai cuisine.”

The seal was first awarded to the branch in 2019, then again in 2022, and now in 2025.

“In the Philippines, there are many Thai restaurants,” said Ms. Romero in a group interview during the awarding on Aug. 18 at SM Megamall. “But I think we’re one of the authentic ones. Our ingredients are from Bangkok, and we try to be true to the Thai taste,” she said. “Even if we’re a franchise, my rule is we have to be the same as what they serve in Bangkok,” she said.

The parent restaurant was founded in Thailand’s capital in 2003.

“In 2017, there were only a few good Thai places [in Manila],” she said, noting that many were found in hotels. “For the mall, there was really not much,” she said about the impetus to bring the concept here.

When the COVID-19 pandemic locked doors in 2020, many new restaurant brands fell and closed permanently. She talked about the brand’s survival, and even its growth in the years during and after: “What’s important is we were able to support our people,” she said. “At the time, we were just breaking even. As long as our people could have their jobs, that was what was important to me.

“Even if they [the customers] tried it in 2018, in 2021, when everything was open, it seemed fresh again.”

The brand is expanding, opening a fourth branch in Greenhills. It is already in the aforementioned Megamall, and also in Molito in Alabang and Garden Tower in Makati. The brand has also begun accepting catering requests. — Joseph L. Garcia