The 2025 Taichung Hot Pot & Grill Festival voting event concluded on August 14, breaking records with over 5.66 million votes – the highest in the festival’s history! Mr. Chang Feng-yuan, Director General of Economic Development Bureau joined Mr. Narong Boonsatheanwong, Executive Director of the Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taiwan, to draw two lucky winners of round-trip tickets to Thailand. Winners have been notified via the “Taichung PASS” app—so check your phone to see if you’re one of the lucky ones!

　　
Director General Chang stated that this year’s festival not only attracted enthusiastic participation from residents across Taiwan, but also saw restaurants go all out with creative voting campaigns, special discounts for foreigners, and even international flight tickets as lucky draws—solidifying Taichung’s status as the “Hot Pot & Grill Capital” with growing global appeal. The addition of Thai elements added a rich exotic flair to the event. Taichung has long maintained close ties with Southeast Asia, especially around the ASEAN Square area, which gathers a large number of Thai people, new immigrant communities, and diverse international food cultures, presenting a picture of cultural integration.
　　
Taichung boasts a wide variety of Thai restaurants, with several Thai-style establishments joining this year’s competition. These include Rolling Thai, Lan Xian Ting, Wang Tai Tai, Thai Chiu Hot Pot, In Shine Thai Hotpot, and GO!TARZEN, showcasing the diversity and inclusiveness of Taichung’s culinary scene.
　　
Executive Director Mr. Narong noted that Thai cuisine has many enthusiasts in Taichung. In particular, the ASEAN Square in the city’s East District is a food paradise for Southeast Asian communities and food lovers alike, featuring many hidden-gem Thai eateries. Visitors can find classic dishes such as fragrant Thai basil pork, tangy tom yum seafood soup, and mango sticky rice. He expressed hope for more future collaborations with Taichung in tourism, gastronomy, and cultural events, further deepening the friendship between Taichung and Thailand.
　　
The Economic Development Bureau announced that Executive Director Mr. Narong participated in this year’s Taichung Hot Pot & Grill Festival promotional video, highlighting the ongoing strengthening of economic, tourism, and cultural exchanges between Taichung and Thailand. Most importantly, this year’s Thai National Day will be held in Taichung for the first time, offering a unique opportunity to showcase the city on the international stage and allow citizens to experience Thai culture up close. While the Hot Pot & Grill Festival has concluded successfully, these upcoming exchanges are expected to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and lay the foundation for more cross-border collaborations in the future.