Siam House becomes Sri Lanka’s first ‘Thai SELECT Signature’ restaurant

From left: Thai Trade Centre, Chennai Director Chek Jeenaphan and The Royal Thai Embassy Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Sri Lanka Paitoon Mahapannaporn presents the certificate to Siam House Chairman Lionel Fernando, and Siam House Flagship Restaurant Director Mangala Fernando 

By Safna Malik 

The sixth edition of Thailand Week Colombo 2026 reached a significant peak last week as Siam House became the first restaurant in Sri Lanka to receive the ‘Thai SELECT Signature’ certification. This certification is the highest honour granted by the Thai Ministry of Commerce and Trade to Thai restaurants operating outside of Thailand, recognising a strict commitment to authentic culinary standards.

The Royal Thai Embassy, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Sri Lanka Paitoon Mahapannaporn, and Thai Trade Centre - Chennai Director Chek Jeenaphan, presented the certificate to Siam House Chairman Lionel Fernando, and Siam House Flagship Restaurant, Director Mangala Fernando. The husband-and-wife duo have supported each other throughout a shared journey that has driven the restaurant’s success for 33 years.

Aside from this new international honour, Siam House holds an ‘A-grade rating’ from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. This local recognition has long confirmed its place as a premier dining destination in the country, separate from its recent global achievement.

Siam House was the first restaurant to introduce Thai cuisine to Sri Lanka in 1993. At its inception, the venture represented a major shift in the local food landscape, as Thai flavours were entirely new to the country at the time. To maintain these high standards, the restaurant ensures it stays true to the roots of traditional Thai cooking. Each dish is prepared by experienced chefs using techniques passed down through generations. A key feature of the kitchen is the use of in-house curry pastes, freshly prepared from premium ingredients, bringing the true essence of Thailand.

To ensure authenticity, the restaurant originally brought an executive team of chefs from Thailand to train the team. This knowledge has been preserved for over three decades, with several senior chefs who began their training at Siam House now working in high-end restaurants overseas. This focus on skill-sharing has defined the quality of the food and made a lasting impact on the lives of the creators.

Beyond the culinary standards, the founders sought to provide a complete Thai experience at a time when international travel was less common. By carefully choosing the interior decor, ambient music, and traditional fragrances, the restaurant successfully recreated the atmosphere of Thailand within Colombo, offering guests a cultural journey without leaving the city.

Lionel Fernando stated that the name was chosen because Thailand was once called Siam. He explained that the word House was added because they wanted their guests to feel at home, as part of a family. He also added building a loyal customer base over 33 years, the restaurant has served multiple generations, with early customers now visiting with their children and grandchildren.

Mangala Fernando noted that the restaurant still sources its key ingredients like Pad Thai noodles, rice vermicelli, bean vermicelli, and fragrant jasmine rice, directly from Thailand to maintain that Thai authentic flavor. Reflecting on the 33-year journey, she shared that the restaurant has grown in parallel with her own children. She views the business as a member of the family that has been nurtured over three decades, and its success as an industry leader remains a point of great pride.

With a large seating capacity across two locations in Colombo 4 and Colombo 7, Siam House has successfully diversified its operations well beyond its primary dining services. The restaurant now manages extensive catering and commercial kitchen operations, providing meals for both flight services and airport lounges at Bandaranaike International Airport. As the first Thai restaurant in the country to receive this high-level certification, Siam House remains committed to delivering an authentic experience across all its service platforms.

-Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe