Siam Friendly Standard
Summary of the development of a Muslim Friendly Certificate (MFC) by the private sector
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1. Background for understanding the current situation
Joint research by CrescentRating and Mastercard confirms that the Muslim tourism market is set to grow to 225 million people, becoming the number one market. The research indicates that Thailand is a country that can grow within this market, provided that operators’ knowledge is quickly built up. At the same time, we are a destination for Islamic marriage, with people coming to marry in Thailand and continuing on to travel, and the numbers are increasing every year.
2. Current problems
The number of operators with the capability and knowledge to properly look after Muslim customers is limited. Changing services to fully accommodate halal requirements carries a high and uncertain risk of lost income. In addition, operators lack suitable tools to grow the Muslim market. At present there is only a single religious organization issuing certificates nationwide, with insufficient personnel to cover the whole country, and the cost of entering the system is high.
3. The feasibility of running a Muslim Friendly Certificate (MFC) through the private sector
A model in which the private sector leads, with government and religious sectors following, has actually happened before, since 2012 — for example, Salam Standard, which arose from a private company setting ratings and building the MFC standard. As it grew, the Malaysian government, Malaysia tourism authorities, and the religious sector then came in to support it, pushing it forward and linking it with the OIC, developing it into a world-class private enterprise with over 55,000 participating hotels, generating enormous income for Malaysia. MFC calls for simpler indicators than halal certification, such as having a prayer mat and similar items, and it is used widely in many countries, such as Japan, among others.
4. Benefits to various sectors
This model being developed will bring benefits to operators as well as workers of every religion, increasing Thailand’s capacity to serve the Muslim market within a multicultural atmosphere, with simple, standardized indicators and a reasonable cost of entry into the system. It will build better mutual understanding between people of every religion in Thailand and Islam, help the country achieve a good ranking globally, and also generate returns for its supporters.
5. Setting goals
The private sector will develop its own system and specific model, while at the same time seeking additional support from the government sector and the religious sector and religious scholars — covering everything from developing indicators, necessary training, issuing certificates, marketing support, and linking with tourism networks — in the form of a Muslim Friendly Model with a core built around a multicultural atmosphere, so that non-Muslim operators can access it easily at a reasonable cost.
6. Implementation plan
Build indicators, hold training, and issue certificates to a group of high-potential operators — hotels, cafes, spas, hospitals, travel companies, and others that are friendly to multiculturalism — within a narrow initial group in order to maintain quality, then expand the circle further as appropriate, alongside seeking cooperation from the government and religious sectors.
7. About the operator and project developer
ARAYA Nikah Planner and Consult Co., Ltd., tax ID 0105565138468
A company providing consulting, training, and Muslim and multicultural marketing planning for operators,
issuing certificates for learning about Islam and converting to Islam, and organizing Islamic weddings for foreigners in Thailand.
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