THAI HALAL FOOD: HISTORY, CULTURE, AND MUSLIM TOURISTS’ EXPERIENCES IN THAILAND
Authors
-
Nawawee Arawan
Ridwanool Islam Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
-
Rushdy Thaokloy
Faculty of Shariah and Law, University Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Malaysia
-
Hartinee Cheming
Department of Islamic education administration, International Islamic College Bangkok, Krirk University, Thailand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33102/jfatwa.vol31no3.835Keywords:
Thai halal food, Cultural heritage, Muslim tourists, Halal tourism, HistoryAbstract
Thai halal food reflects both Islamic dietary rules and the cultural interactions between Muslim people and Thai society. The purpose of this study is to examine Thai halal food from three related angles: its cultural relevance, its historical development, and the experiences of Muslim tourists in Thailand. The current study employed a qualitative research strategy using documentary analysis, in-depth interviews with Muslim tourists, halal food entrepreneurs, and cultural specialists, as well as field observations in well-known tourist destinations with significant halal food services. According to the study, Islamic and Thai culinary traditions have traditionally interacted to produce Thai halal food, a unique hybrid cuisine that is both religiously compliant and expresses local cultural identity. Halal food serves as a cultural instrument for social integration, religious expression, and historical preservation. One of the key elements that Muslim travelers take into account when evaluating their vacation enjoyment, destination trust, and cultural experience is Thai halal cuisine. Furthermore, Thai halal cuisine reflects Thailand's pluralism and inclusivity in the international halal travel industry. By fusing historical and cultural analysis with traveler experience, the paper adds to the body of knowledge on halal tourism and culinary legacy. The findings provide practical implications for policymakers, tourism authorities and halal food entrepreneurs to promote Thailand’s image as a Muslim-friendly destination without compromising the cultural authenticity of Thai halal food.
Downloads
References
Adulyasas, A., Baka, A., Muninnoppamas, J., & Yaena, B. (2023). A verifying halal certification system for food products. Science and Engineering Connect, 46(2), 173–190.
Al-Qaradawi, Y. (1995). The lawful and the prohibited in Islam. Al-Falah Foundation.
Amrullah. (2023). Representation of cultural identity of Bangkalan community through semiotic analysis of halal culinary tourism. Actiya: Journal of Teaching and Education, 5(2), 227–243.
Barthes, R. (1997). Toward a psychosociology of contemporary food consumption. In C. Counihan & P. Van Esterik (Eds.), Food and culture: A reader (pp. 20–27). Routledge.
Battour, M., & Ismail, M. N. (2016). Halal tourism: Concepts, practices, challenges and future. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19, 150–154.
Bessière, J. (1998). Local development and heritage: Traditional food and cuisine as tourist attractions in rural areas. Sociologia Ruralis, 38(1), 21–34.
Bonne, K., & Verbeke, W. (2008). Religious values informing halal meat production and the control and delivery of halal credence quality. Agriculture and Human Values, 25(1), 35–47.
Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste. Harvard University Press.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.
Chantarungsri, C. (2024). Mapping the landscape of halal tourism: A bibliometric analysis. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1).
Chulalongkorn University. (2024, October 21). Chula’s Halal Science Center in Pattani wins national award for “Outstanding Contributor to Muslim Youth in the Field of Science and Technology.”
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE.
Douglas, M. (1972). Deciphering a meal. Daedalus, 101(1), 61–82.
Fischler, C. (1988). Food, self and identity. Social Science Information, 27(2), 275–292.
Flick, U. (2022). Doing qualitative research: Theory, methods and practice (4th ed.). SAGE.
Goody, J. (1982). Cooking, cuisine and class: A study in comparative sociology. Cambridge University Press.
Henderson, J. C. (2010). Sharia-compliant hotels. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 10(3), 246–254.
Henderson, J. C. (2016). Halal food, certification and halal tourism: Insights from Malaysia and Singapore. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19, 160–164.
Isa, S. M., Chin, P. N., & Mohammad, N. U. (2018). Muslim tourist perceived value: A study on Malaysia halal tourism. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 2, 402–420.
Jafari, J., & Scott, N. (2014). Muslim world and its tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 44, 1–19.
Jaroensuk, A. (2025). A model for promoting Muslim-friendly tourism in Thailand. Thailand Islamic Journal, 2(1), 73–90.
Kamaruddin, R., & Ismail, H. N. (2019). Halal food consumption and its influence on Muslim tourists’ satisfaction. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 82, 1–10.
Mastercard-CrescentRating. (2023). Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2023.
Mintz, S. W., & Du Bois, C. M. (2002). The anthropology of food and eating. Annual Review of Anthropology, 31, 99–119.
Mohsin, A., Ramli, N., & Alkhulayfi, B. A. (2016). Halal tourism: Emerging opportunities. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19, 137–143.
Park, E., Muangasame, K., & Kim, S. (2021). We and our stories: Constructing food experiences in a UNESCO gastronomy city. Tourism Geographies, 25(2–3), 572–593.
Pilcher, J. (2012). Planet taco: A global history of Mexican food. Oxford University Press.
Pongsakornrungsilp, S., Pongsakornrungsilp, P., Chouykaew, T., Niyomdecha, H., Chansamran, S., & He, Y. (2024). Integrating sustainability and cultural sensitivity: Clustering Muslim tourist lifestyles in the Andaman coastal cluster, Thailand. Sustainability, 16(21).
Putera, P. B., & Rakhel, T. M. (2023). Halal research streams: A systematic and bibliometrics review. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(1).
Riaz, M. N., & Chaudry, M. M. (2004). Halal food production. CRC Press.
Saldaña, J. (2021). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (4th ed.). SAGE.
Slamet, A., Abdullah, I., & Laila, N. Q. (2022). The contestation of the meaning of halal tourism. Heliyon, 8(3).
Stephenson, M. L. (2014). Deciphering “Islamic hospitality”: Developments, challenges and opportunities. Tourism Management, 40, 155–164.
Stephenson, M. L., & Ali, N. (2010). Tourism, religion and spiritual journeys. Tourism Recreation Research, 35(1), 1–15.
Sthapit, E., Yang, P., Ji, C., Björk, P., & Stone, M. J. (2024). Remembrance of travels past: Creating memorable halal food experiences among non-Muslim Chinese tourists. Journal of Foodservice Business Research. Advance online publication.
Sungnoi, P., & Soonthonsmai, V. (2024). Investigating the brand equity strategy of halal food in a promising emerging Islamic market in a non-Muslim country. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1).
Thipmoud, B. (2024). Halal food discourse: Communicating Muslim identity and faith in Thai multicultural society [Doctoral dissertation, National Institute of Development Administration]. NIDA Institutional Repository.
Timothy, D. J., & Ron, A. S. (2013). Understanding heritage cuisines and tourism. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 8(2–3), 99–104.
UNESCO. (2012). What is intangible cultural heritage? https://ich.unesco.org/en/what-is-intangible-heritage-00003
Wilson, J. A. J., & Liu, J. (2011). The challenges of Islamic branding: Navigating emotions and halal. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 2(1), 28–42.
Woodward, M. (2011). Java, Indonesia and Islam. Springer.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nawawee Arawan, Rushdy Thaokloy, Hartinee Cheming
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The copyright of this article will be vested to author(s) and granted the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, unless otherwise stated.
How to Cite
