Thai-Latin Coffee+ Plus Weeks
By Kathleen Pokrud
The Thai-Latin Coffee+ Plus Weeks was recently organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand to celebrate and promote the rich coffee cultures of Thailand and Latin America while fostering economic and cultural cooperation between the two regions.
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The event served as a platform for knowledge exchange, business networking and showcasing premium coffee varieties, reinforcing Thailand’s commitment to expanding its presence in the global coffee market through gastro-diplomacy. Beyond coffee appreciation, the initiative embraced social responsibility with roasted coffee donated by participating embassies featured at APCD 60+ Plus Bakery & Café, a social enterprise that supports vocational training and employment for persons with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity in the coffee industry.
The event was organized in partnership with the embassies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Peru, whose contributions showcased the world-renowned coffee heritage of Latin America. Each embassy provided premium coffee beans, traditional beverages and cultural insights, reflecting the diverse flavours and traditions of their respective countries.
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The opening ceremony took place at Vithes Samosorn grand ceremonial hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with opening remarks by HE Mrs Sirilak Niyom, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and Mr Piroon Laismit, Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD).
The event also featured remarks by ambassadors and embassy representatives, each introducing their country’s coffee, tea or traditional beverages. This was followed by a coffee handover ceremony, where Latin American embassies presented over 70 kilograms of roasted coffee to APCD 60+ Plus Cafés. There were coffee tasting and cupping sessions, featuring Thai specialty coffee from Big Black Box, Q Project Thailand and Squeaky, alongside the Latin American beans.
Following the opening, the event has continued with a two-week coffee showcase at APCD Cafés and Buakaew Brew, where visitors can purchase and experience Latin American and Thai coffee.
The opening ceremony event was well attended by over 200 guests, including ambassadors and chargé d’affaires from Latin American embassies, executives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, coffee industry leaders, roasters and business representatives and members of the Thai Coffee Association, together with academics and coffee enthusiasts.
The Thai-Latin Coffee+ Plus Weeks is successfully bridging coffee diplomacy, business and social inclusion, reinforcing the role of gastronomy as a cultural and economic connector between Thailand and Latin America.
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