Buddha wallpaper, elephant pendant, tripwire... Walking into a restaurant in The Greenland Central Square in Nanning City, the rich Thai style comes into view. Here, people can experience traditional Thai costumes and taste Thai food. Thai Menny Chan, co-founder of the restaurant, said she wanted to build a bridge of cultural exchange between China and Thailand with the help of Thai food and clothing.
Let customers experience "being Thai for a day"
"On the first floor is a Thai food club, and on the second floor is a Thai dress-up afternoon tea selfie hall, with 200 sets of imported Thai clothes, cosmetics, selfie sticks..." This is the restaurant profile sent by Chen Mei Ni to customers. The reserved restaurant was co-founded in April 2020 and later relocated to the restaurant.
Mie Chan makes Thai green papaya salad. Nanguo Morning Post client reporter Zou Cailin photographed
At that time, Chen Mei ni, who worked in a Thai-funded enterprise, stopped working due to the impact of the epidemic. She uses her free time to cook Thai food for her friends, Tom Yin Gong soup, volcanic ribs... These authentic Thai dishes have attracted a lot of praise. The idea of opening a Thai restaurant was born.
She spent a long time researching the dishes and tried to bring a milk tea that her mother sold in Thailand to China. However, when she took the first sip, she knew that she would not be able to sell it - it was too sweet! Improved, this Thai milk tea is easier for Chinese customers to accept.
Mie Chan has a set of traditional Thai costumes, which are often borrowed by friends. Borrowing more, she thought about introducing the dress-up element into the restaurant operation. Tripwives, shawls, tube skirts, belts... These very Thai costumes allow customers to experience a strong Thai style. Some customers will meet friends to play together, and some are a family of several people to experience "being Thai for a day".
Several customers experience traditional Thai costumes. Nanguo Morning Post client reporter Zou Cailin photographed
He has been a translator at the East Expo many times
In 2010, Chen Mei Ni went to Guangxi as a Thai student to study Chinese. Between Nanning and Wuzhou, she did not hesitate to choose Nanning, because Nanning is the permanent host of the China-ASEAN Expo.
In 2012, after returning to China after completing her studies, she set foot on Nanning land again, this time as a graduate student at Guangxi University. She said that coming to Nanning twice to study was doomed to an indissoluble relationship with this beautiful city.
As a result of her continued study in Chinese, she attended the East Expo in her first year in Nanning, working as a translator for a Thai businessman selling bags. At that time, her Chinese level was not very good, and she worked very hard, and she had used methods such as gestures and drawings. At this time, she deeply appreciates the role of translation: even if there is a little mistake, the meaning of the language will change greatly, which may lead to ineffective communication between the two sides and even misunderstanding.
By participating in the East Expo, she saw that everyone was very interested in Thai culture and many products, such as Thai latex mattresses, latex pillows, cosmetics and skin care products. Quite business-minded, she later started a purchasing business with a friend. Until now, even though she has not stopped buying for five or six years, there are still people who ask her to buy Thai products.
I want to take my mother to live in China
Although there are Thai restaurants, Chen Mei Ni loves Tony Chinese cuisine, especially Guangxi rice noodles. Old friend powder, snail powder, raw squeezed rice flour, Binyang acid powder... She had almost eaten by name. She said that there are also many rice noodles in Thailand, some of which are very similar to Guangxi rice noodles, and she quickly adapted to the "noodle powder" life in Guangxi.
Having lived in Guangxi for a long time, she also brought Chinese goodies to her family and friends in Thailand. For example, her family loves to eat snail powder, and she will carry it back from time to time. Through her, Thai relatives and friends have learned more about China, especially Guangxi.
When the restaurant is not busy, she will go to investigate and contact to make more Thai clothing and accessories. Sometimes I also take videos and photos of Thai clothing, and introduce Thai food and culture to friends in China through the circle of friends and video numbers.
In late July, Chen Mei Ni partnered with a friend to open a dress-up experience restaurant in Pingxiang City, their third store in Guangxi. Chen Mei Ni believes that the experience restaurant is not only a place to eat, but also a good carrier to show Thai culture. She hopes that customers can taste authentic Thai food here and learn more about Thai culture, so as to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples.
She also has a wish to take her mother to live in China. She has been living in Guangxi for 11 years and expects to have better career prospects, "my mother came to Guangxi, it is convenient for me to take care of her, and let her live a better life."
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