From the Classroom to the Thai Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur
Three days at KLCC with 12 Thai franchise brands from Thai Franchise Towards Global 2026, a warm Malaysian welcome, and plenty of room for Thai franchises to grow there.
From 23 to 25 July 2026, my team at Gnosis Advisory (Gnosis Company Limited) and I took 12 Thai franchise brands to the Thai Pavilion at Franchise Expo Malaysia 2026 (FEM 2026), KL Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, together with Thailand’s Department of Business Development (DBD), Ministry of Commerce.1
All 12 brands came through Thai Franchise Towards Global 2026, the programme Gnosis designed and ran for the DBD for the second year. It started with 100 applicants; 25 went on to the Boot Camp, and 12 came through the Pitching round.2 Our pre-show article introduced each brand. This one tells you what the three days were like.
For me, this was the entrepreneurs’ real exam. After two months of learning, from the Boot Camp in May to the Sales Kit Workshop and Pitching in June, they were finally standing at their own booths, welcoming international investors.
- I · May 2026Boot CampFour days on taking a franchise abroad
- II · Jun 2026Workshop & PitchingSales tools built, 12 brands selected
- III · Jul 2026Thai PavilionLive at FEM 2026, Kuala Lumpur
Thai and Malaysian leaders open the Thai Pavilion
On the first morning, guests from both Thailand and Malaysia came to open the Thai Pavilion in person:
- Miss Suthida Ngernmuen, Director of Business Promotion and Development Division, Department of Business Development
- Ms. Kanit Nattwongasem, Minister Counsellor (Commercial)
- Dato’ Liew Bin, President of the Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA), organiser of FEM 2026
- Mr. Terry Tay, Deputy Treasurer-General, and Ms. Christine Tan, Deputy Secretary-General, with members of the MRCA committee
After the ribbon-cutting, they visited every booth, chatted with the founders, tried the products and asked about investment, all in a relaxed, friendly way. It was a real boost for every brand in the pavilion.
When Thai government and Malaysian industry stand together, investors feel more confident about Thai brands.
A picture like this tells Malaysian investors straight away that the brands in this pavilion were selected and have government support.
Malaysians welcomed us
like neighbours
ready to do business together.
A warm Malaysian welcome
What stayed with me most was how well our hosts looked after us. The MRCA team took great care of the Thai Pavilion, from the opening on the main stage to the President and committee walking over to visit the booths themselves. Everyone was easy to talk to.
Malaysian visitors liked Thai food, drinks and service too. Besides tastings and brochures, many booths sat down with interested visitors at the pavilion’s business-matching tables to talk through investment models, with interpreters provided by the DBD to help during negotiations.1
FEM 2026 was the show’s ninth edition, themed “Invest In Your Future”. According to the DBD, more than 200 franchise brands from 10 countries took part, with over 18,000 visitors and more than THB 4,100 million in spending expected.1 A good response at a show this size is a very encouraging sign for Thai brands.
From the classroom to a real booth
As programme director, I was proud to see the entrepreneurs put what they learned into practice, one step at a time: setting up their booths, explaining the investment, and talking with investors confidently.
| Learned in the programme | Seen at KLCC |
|---|---|
| Exhibition Blueprint Sell the investment opportunity (ROI) | Booths that clearly invited investors, with “Franchise Opportunity” and “Master Franchise Malaysia” banners |
| International franchise fees “A good fee has a rationale” | Founders walking through the investment and what a franchisee receives, step by step |
| Pitching Explain the brand to investors in minutes | Short, clear introductions for each visitor who stopped by |
| Linkage Build business networks | Business-matching tables in the Thai Pavilion and meetings with the MRCA committee |
I have always believed that with good preparation, an expo becomes a big meeting room where investors come to you. Three days at KLCC convinced me these entrepreneurs are ready. (Further reading in Thai: The Ultimate Exhibition Blueprint · International franchise fee guide)
Three days at the Thai Pavilion
Photographed during the show, 23–25 July 2026.3 Click any photo to enlarge.
Plenty of room for Thai franchises in Malaysia
In the programme’s first year (FEM 2025), the DBD took 10 Thai franchise brands to the show, which led to 98 business-matching pairs and THB 130 million in trade. This year the DBD’s target is at least THB 150 million.2 From what I saw, Thai franchises have a lot more room to grow in Malaysia:
- Malaysia is Thailand’s No. 1 trading partner in ASEAN,2 so Thai brands are already well known and well liked.
- Similar tastes. Malaysians are used to Thai food and drinks, which makes it easier for Thai brands to get started.
- A gateway to Muslim consumers. A brand whose system works in Malaysia can expand to other ASEAN markets more easily.
- Education and spa brands do well too. This year’s four education brands and one spa brand drew about as much interest as the food brands.
- Several ways to invest. Master Franchise, Area Developer or Joint Venture, depending on each brand’s readiness, with approval under Malaysia’s Franchise Act 1998 planned from the start.4
- 1DBD takes Thai franchises to the Malaysian market at Franchise Expo Malaysia 2026 · Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, press release No. 320 (23 Jul 2026, in Thai) ↩
- 2DBD brings in marketing experts to take Thai franchises international, targeting Malaysia · DBD press release No. 197 (21 Apr 2026, in Thai), and programme details in Thai Franchise Towards Global 2026 ↩
- 3All photos taken at Franchise Expo Malaysia 2026, 23–25 July 2026, KL Convention Centre. ↩
- 4A general summary for learning purposes, not legal advice. Check current requirements with a Malaysian legal adviser before offering a franchise. ↩
Sethaphong “Seth” Phadungpisuth
CEO and Managing Director of Gnosis Advisory (Gnosis Company Limited), an international franchise consultant with more than 20 years in franchise system development, cross-border business matching and corporate finance, with franchise advisory work in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and Indonesia.
Franchise Standards Evaluator, Department of Business Development (DBD) · Director of International Affairs, Franchise and License Association of Thailand (FLAT) · Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) · M.S. International Business and Finance, Southern New Hampshire University
