Clean-up campaign for street food

Myanmar Restaurant Association says food stalls that cater to tourists need to clean up their act and the association is going to lend a hand.
According to the association, it has hatched a scheme to copy the standards set by Singapore and to some extent Thailand.
MRA general secretary, Kyaw Myat Moe, told local media that the association will begin with a pilot project targeting 36 food stalls in Latha, Lanmadaw, Kyauktada, Pabedan, Tamwe, Kyaukmyaung and Bahan townships.
“We have observed how street food stalls are run in Thailand and Singapore and plan to share our observations with local vendors to help them improve hygiene.
“Efforts to upgrade roadside shops have faced difficulties in the past as some shop owners did not fully trust us,” he said.
The roadside stalls that will be targeted in the pilot project are in Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) designated areas and to qualify for assistance they must also have licenses and open daily.
The MRA will also carry out free medical check-ups for shop owners in cooperation with the health department under the YCDC. They will then issue them with health certificates.
In Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand organises a “Thailand Street Food” campaign to ensure food preparation meets certain standards for domestic and international tourists.
In the past, TAT’s promotions focused on elaborate dining experiences offered by hotels or expensive Thai dinner and dance shows. Now that has largely been replaced with promotions that focus on genuine experiences and recognition of the importance of street food as a major tourist draw.

Sourced: ttrweekly