Industry leaders want BLACKPINK’s Lisa to be Thailand’s tourism ambassador

As one of the most powerful and successful Thai K-pop idols, the Federation of Thai Industries wants BLACKPINK’s Lisa to be the new tourism ambassador. Lisa’s debut solo LALISA was filled with Thai cultural references and helped millions of listeners appreciate the culture.

Keeping Lisa’s global influence in mind, FTI Chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree, with his team, has requested that the government appoint Lisa as Thailand’s tourism ambassador. Thailand will be opening its borders to vaccinated tourists next month, and business leaders believe the BLACKPINK member will help in nurturing a positive perception of the country.

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Federation of Thai Industries want BLACKPINK’s Lisa to represent Thailand

BLACKPINK’s Lisa embraced her Thai culture by going all out in representation. From wearing traditional clothes and the chada (headpiece), to dance moves and filling the set with golden colors.

The FTI brings together business leaders whose sole responsibility is to focus on promoting Thailand’s economic development. Head of Creative Handicraft at FTI Rida Srilomsak shared that their past attempts at promoting Thai products by using the three-wheeled Tuk Tuks did not help at all. She believes that having BLACKPINK’s Lisa on board and replacing the Tuk Tuks will hugely help the tourism industry, as she added:

“The authorities must adopt new ideas in order to be more modern, with support from digital technology.”

Even the FTI Chairman is supportive of the idea, sharing that this deal, “if successful, will be extremely advantageous to Thailand.”

A small example of Lisa’s influence can be seen from an instance during an interview where she casually mentioned that her favorite food was “yuen kim meatballs” in her hometown Buriram. Soon enough, fans, tourists, and locals flocked to the Buriram Train Station to experience her favorite food. As Koreaboo reported, the meatball vendors in Buriram’s daily earnings saw a sudden spike from around $3 USD to $300 USD, with one casual comment from Lisa leading to a sudden boom in sales.

Considering the massive impact of the Thai BLACKPINK member’s words, the FTI has requested that the government “negotiate with Lisa’s agency” and have her be the new face of Thailand.

This isn’t the first time the Thai government has been in awe of BLACKPINK Lisa’s “soft power”. Last month, none other than the country’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha praised Lisa through a spokesperson. He shared that the cultural elements used in LALISA and the song's global influence, along with other Thai artists’ work, help the government to promote their creative economy.

BLACKPINK Lisa’s LALISA broke several records and topped multiple charts, with her unique Thai heritage included in all its pride.