TAT praises LISA after Thai food showcase on US talk show goes viral
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool praised LISA for presenting Thai food and culture to a global audience during her appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s talk show.
- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) praised superstar LISA for her role as an "Amazing Thailand Ambassador" after her appearance on a US talk show went viral.
- During the show, LISA served the Thai dish som tam to host Jimmy Fallon, which led to the food and her appearance trending on social media.
- The showcase is credited with boosting global interest in Thai street food, encouraging gastronomy tourism, and strengthening Thailand's national brand.
Thai superstar Lalisa Manobal, known professionally as LISA, drew worldwide attention after appearing on the US talk show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote her new mini-album and the hit song “SaWaDiKa”.
During the programme, she served host Jimmy Fallon som tam and a Thai drink, while teaching him to say “Bottoms up!” The segment became an overnight viral clip, with “Som Tum” and “LISAonFallon” trending on social media.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool thanked LISA in a personal Facebook post published on Friday (September 18, 2026), praising her as a representative of a new generation and saying she had performed her role as Amazing Thailand Ambassador flawlessly and naturally over the previous year.
“Every time LISA speaks about Thailand, we can feel her love, attachment and pride in being Thai,” Thapanee wrote.
She concluded with the message: “Amazing Thailand… through LISA, the world can truly Feel All The Feelings.”
The episode also illustrated the role of LISA’s sincerity and authenticity in turning Thai culture into genuine soft power, with three main implications:
- It helped turn som tam and Thai street food into a global pop-culture trend.
- It encouraged interest in gastronomy tourism and travel to Thailand.
- It strengthened Thailand’s national brand by presenting the country as modern and approachable while keeping it in the global mainstream.
