What is Thailand?Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand,

formerly known as Siam, is a country at the centerof the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It isbordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to theeast by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulfof Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by theAndaman Sea and the southern extremity ofBurma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam inthe Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesiaand India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest.

Thailand is a monarchy headed by KingBhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX and governed by amilitary junta that took power in May 2014. Theking is ninth of the House of Chakri, and hasreigned since 1946 as the world’s longest-servingcurrent head of state and the country’s longest-reigning monarch. The King of Thailand’s titlesinclude Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces,Adherent of Buddhism, and Upholder of Religions.Although a constitutional system was establishedin 1932, the monarchy and military havecontinued to intervene periodically in politics.

Thailand has a total area of approximately514,000 km² (200,000 sq. mi), Thailand is theworld’s 50th largest country. It is the 20th mostpopulous country in the world, with around 65million people. The capital and largest city isBangkok, which is Thailand’s political, commercial,industrial, and cultural hub. About 75-95% of thepopulation is ethnically Tai, which includes fourmajor regional groups:

a) Central Thai (Khon Pak Klang) = 30%

b) Northeastern Thai (Khon [Lao] Isan) = 22%

c) Northern Thai (Khon Lanna) = 9%

d) Southern Thai (Khon Thai) = 7%

Khon Pak Klang, 30%

Khon [Lao] Isan, 22%

Khon Lanna,

9%Khon Thai,

7%

Non-Ethnic, 32%

Thailand is separated into four distinct regions.Despite the overarching strength and unity of Thaiculture, each region has its own unique cultural andgeographic features.

a) Northern Thailand - shares its border with Myanmarand Laos. This region is mountainous and filled withthick forests and river valleys. Its culture is heavilyinfluenced by Burmese culture and it carries stronginfluences from the historical Lanna kingdom.

b) Northeastern Thailand - also known as Isan, is largelyisolated from the rest of Thailand by a large mountainrange. A Lao-speaking majority, as well as a primarilyagricultural society, characterize this culturally distinctregion.

c) Southern Thailand - located on the Malay peninsula, ishome to many of Thailand’s pristine beaches andresorts. With a more tropical climate, this narrow landmass is home to a many fishing communities

d) Central Thailand - is predominant, though. This region isthe seat of Thailand’s modern-day capital city,Bangkok. With its fertile plains, it has also long beenthe economic center of the country, producing themajority of Thailand’s rice. Central Thailand is also thearea that has the greatest population density, and thegreatest concentration of the ethnic Thai majority. It isthe political, economic, and cultural center of Thailand

, those of significant Chineseheritage, are 14% of the population, while Thaiswith partial Chinese ancestry comprise up to ofthe population. represent of thepopulation, with the remainder consisting of

. The country’sofficial language is Thai and the primary religion isBuddhism, which is practiced by around 95% of thepopulation.

Thai Chinese,

44%

Thai Malays,

3%

Others, 53%

Thailand experienced rapid economic growthbetween 1985 and 1996, becoming a newlyindustrialized country and a major exporter.Manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism are leadingsectors of the economy. Among the ASEANcountries, Thailand ranks second in quality of lifeand the country’s HDI had been rated as ‘high’. Itslarge population and growing economic influencehave made it a middle power in the region andaround the world.

Weather and Climate of ThailandThe weather in Thailand is generally hot and

humid: typical of its location within the tropics.Generally speaking, Thailand can be divided intothree seasons: “hot season”, “rainy season”, and“cool season”, though Thailand’s geography allowsvisitors to find suitable weather somewhere in thecountry throughout the year. The Thailand climateis controlled by tropical monsoons and the weatherin Thailand is generally hot and humid across mostof the country throughout most of the year. WhileThailand’s seasons are generally divided into thehot season, cool season, and rainy season, in realityit’s relatively hot most of the year.

The weather in central, northern, andnortheastern Thailand (the landlocked provinces) isdetermined by three seasons, whereas the southern,coastal regions of Thailand feature only two, makingthe weather in Thailand quite easy to understand andplan a trip around. In Thailand’s inland provinces theseasons are clearly defined: Between November andMay the weather is mostly dry and the cool seasonand hot season occur from November to Februaryand March to May respectively. The other inlandseason, the rainy season, lasts from May toNovember and is dominated by the southwestmonsoon, during which time rainfall in most ofThailand is at its heaviest.

The southern, coastal region of Thailand really hasonly two seasons – rainy season and dry season.Fortunately, for those planning a beach holiday,Thailand’s two coasts have slightly different rainyseasons, allowing visitors to find sunny beachesnearly year round.

On the Andaman or west coast, where Phuket,Krabi, and the Phi Phi Islands lie, the southwestmonsoon brings heavy storms from April toOctober, while on the Gulf of Thailand or eastcoast, where Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and KohTao lie, the most rain falls between September andDecember.

Cool Season (November - February)

The weather in Thailand around the central, northern, and northeastern regions is mostly cool and dry between November and February, consequently these are the most popular months to visit Thailand.

Hot Season (March - June)

The weather in Thailand classified as the hot season lasts from March to June when higher relative temperatures and occasional rain are the norm.

Rainy Season (July - October)

The rainy season lasts from July to October and is dominated by the southwest monsoon, during which time rainfall in most of Thailand is at its heaviest.

Geography of ThailandThailand is the 50th largest country in the world;

most nearly equal in size to Spain. Located just 15°north of the equator, Thailand has a tropical climateand temperatures typically range from 19-38° C(66-100° F). Thailand’s largest peak, Doi Inthanon, is2, 565 meters (8, 415 feet) tall. Thailand covers 510,890 sq. km. of land and 2, 230 sq. km. of water. Thecoastline of Thailand is 3, 219 km. long. Thailand’slongest shared border is with Myanmar stretching1, 800 km.. Thailand has a rough geographical areaof 514, 000 sq. km. (200,000 sq. miles). This makesThailand roughly equivalent in size to France orTexas.

History of Thailand There is evidence of human habitation in Thailand

that has been dated at 40,000 years before thepresent, with stone artifacts dated to this period atTham Lod Rock Shelter in Mae Hong Son. Similar toother regions in Southeast Asia, Thailand washeavily influenced by the culture and religions ofIndia, starting with the Kingdom of Funan aroundthe 1st century CE to the Khmer Empire.

The ruins of Wat Chaiwatthanaram at Ayutthaya.The city was burned and sacked in 1767 by aBurmese army under the King Hsinbyushin.

Indian influence on Siamese culture was partly theresult of direct contact with Indian settlers, butmainly it was brought about indirectly via theIndianized kingdoms of Dvaravati, Srivijaya andCambodia. A Voretzsch believes that Buddhismmust have been flowing into Siam from India in thetime of the Indian Emperor Ashoka of the MauryaEmpire and far on into the first millennium afterChrist. Later Thailand was influenced by the southIndian Pallava dynasty and north Indian GuptaEmpire.

After the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 13th

Century, various states thrived there, such as thevarious Tai, Mon, Khmer, and Malay kingdoms, asseen through the numerous archaeological sitesand artifacts that are scattered throughout theSiamese landscape. Prior to the 12th Centuryhowever, the first Thai or Siamese state istraditionally considered to be the Buddhist Kingdomof Sukkothai, which was founded in 1238.

Stupas at Ayutthaya Historical Park’s expansioncentered along the Menam while in the northernvalley the Lanna Kingdom and other small Tai city-states ruled the area. In 1431, the Khmerabandoned Angkor after the Ayutthaya forcesinvaded the city. Thailand retained a tradition oftrade with its neighboring states, from China toIndia, Persia, and Arab lands. Ayutthaya becameone of the most vibrant trading centers in Asia.European traders arrived in the 16th century,beginning with the Portuguese, followed by theFrench, Dutch, and English.

After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 to the Burmese,King Taksin the Great moved the capital of Thailandto Thonburi for approximately 15 years. The currentRattanakosin Era of Thai history began in 1782,following the establishment of Bangkok as capital ofthe Chakri dynasty under King Rama I the Great.According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, “A quarter toa third of the population of some areas of Thailandand Burma were slaves in the 17th century throughthe 19th centuries.

Despite European pressure, Thailand is the onlySoutheast Asian nation that has never beencolonized. This has been ascribed to the longsuccession of able rulers in the past four centurieswho exploited the rivalry and tensionbetween French Indochina and the British Empire.As a result, the country remained a bufferstate between parts of Southeast Asia that werecolonized by the two colonizing powers, GreatBritain and France. Western influence neverthelessled to many reforms in the 19th century and majorconcessions, most notably being the loss of a largeterritory on the east side of the Mekong to theFrench and the step-by-step absorption by Britain ofthe Malay Peninsula.

On the 20th Century, The losses initially includedPenang and eventually culminated in the loss offour predominantly ethnic-Malay southernprovinces, which later became Malaysia's fournorthern states, under the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of1909.

In 1932, a bloodless revolution carried out bythe Khana Ratsadon group of military and civilianofficials resulted in a transition of power, whenKing Prajadhipok was forced to grant the people ofSiam their first constitution, thereby endingcenturies of absolute monarchy.

In 1939, the name of the kingdom, 'Siam', waschanged to 'Thailand'.

During World War II, the Empire of Japan demandedthe right to move troops across Thailand to theMalayan frontier. Japan invaded the country andengaged the Thai Army for six to eight hoursbefore Plaek Pibulsonggram ordered an armistice.Shortly thereafter Japan was granted free passage, andon 21 December 1941, Thailand and Japan signed amilitary alliance with a secret protocol wherein Tokyoagreed to help Thailand regain territories lost to theBritish and French. Subsequently, Thailand declaredwar on the United States and the United Kingdom on25 January 1942 and undertook to 'assist' Japan in itswar against the Allies, while at the same timemaintaining an active anti-Japanese resistancemovement known as the Seri Thai.

FUN FACTApproximately 200,000 Asian labourers (mainly romusha) and 60,000 Allied POWs worked on the Thailand–Burma Death Railway.

Thai people who originally lived in southwesternChina migrated into mainland Southeast Asia over aperiod of many centuries. The oldest knownmention of their existence in the region by theexonym Siamese is in a 12th century A.D. inscriptionat the Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat inCambodia, which refers to sayam/syam, or “darkbrown”, people. It was believed that Siam derivedfrom the Sanskrit word syam, or “brown race”, witha contemptuous signification. Sien in Chinesewritings is the name for the northern kingdom thatcentered around Sukhothai and Sawankalok; but tothe Siamese themselves, the name of the countryhas always been Mueang Thai.

War AftermathAfter the war, Thailand emerged as an ally ofthe United States. As with many of thedeveloping nations during the Cold War,Thailand then went through decades ofpolitical instability characterized by coupsd'état as one military regime replaced another,but eventually progressed towards a stableprosperity and democracy in the 1980s.

The country’s designation as Siam by Westernerslikely came from the Portuguese, the firstEuropeans to give a coherent account of thecountry. Portuguese chronicles noted that the kingof Sukkothai had sent an expedition to Malacca atthe southern tip of the Malay Peninsula in 1455.Following their conquest of Malacca in 1511, thePortuguese sent a diplomatic mission to Ayutthaya.A century later, on August 15, 1612, The Globe, anEast India Company merchantman bearing a letterfrom King James I, arrived in “the Road of Syam”.“By the end of the 19th Century, Siam had becomeso enshrined in geographical nomenclature that itwas believed that by this name and no other wouldit continue to be known and styed.”

The Thais first began settling their present homeland inthe 6th Century, and by the end of the 13th Century ruledmost of the western portion. During the next 400 years,they fought sporadically with the Cambodians to the eastand the Burmese to the west. Formerly called Siam,Thailand has never experienced foreign colonization. TheBritish gained a colonial foothold in the region in 1824,but by 1896 an Anglo-French accord guaranteed theindependence of Thailand. A coup in 1932 demoted themonarchy to titular status and established representativegovernment with universal suffrage. At the outbreak ofWorld War II, Japanese forces attacked Thailand. Afterfive hours of token resistance Thailand yielded to Japanon Dec. 8, 1941, subsequently becoming a staging areafor the Japanese campaign against Malaya.

Following the demise of a pro-Japanese puppetgovernment in July 1944, Thailand repudiated thedeclaration of war it had been forced to make in1942 against Britain and the U.S. By the late 1960sthe nation’s problems largely stemmed fromconflicts brewing in neighboring Cambodia andVietnam. Although Thailand had received $2 billionin U.S. economic and military aid since 1950 andhad sent troops (paid by the U.S.) to Vietnam whilepermitting U.S. bomber bases on its territory, thecollapse of South Vietnam and Cambodia in spring1975 brought rapid changes in the country’sdiplomatic posture. At the Thai government’sinsistence, the U.S. agreed to withdraw all 23,000U.S. military personnel remaining in Thailand byMarch 1976.

FUN FACT

Thailand, the only Southeast Asiannation never to have been colonized byEuropean powers, is a constitutionalmonarchy whose current head of stateis HM Bhumibol Adulyadej. A unifiedThai kingdom has existed since the mid-14th century, and Thailand was knownas Siam until 1939 when it became theKingdom of Thailand.

Culture of ThailandThe culture of Thailand incorporates cultural

beliefs and characteristics indigenous to the areaknown as modern-day Thailand coupled with muchinfluence from ancient India, China, Cambodia, Laosalong with the neighboring pre-historic cultures ofSoutheast Asia. It is influenced primarily byAnimism, Hinduism, Buddhism, as well as by latermigrations from China, and Southern India.

Cultural IdentityMuch of Thailand’s culture comes from the

ethnic Thai people. One of the most importantinfluences on Thai culture has been Buddhism.Many of the traditions and beliefs of the people inThailand stem directly from Buddhistprinciples. Hinduism has also made importantcontributions to Thai culture, and the close linksbetween Thailand and India can be seen in art,literature, and in many Thai customs. The culturesof nearby Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Chinahave also played an important role in forming thetraditions of Thailand, as have indigenous beliefsystems such as Animism.

Of Thailand’s nearly 70 million people, roughly twothirds are from Thai ethnic groups. Although theethnic Thai people can be divided into dozens ofdifferent subgroups, their traditions, languages, andcultures differ only slightly. This leads to apopulation with a strong sense of shared traditionsand cultural identity.

The remaining third of the population is made upprimarily of Chinese, as well as various minoritiesincluding Vietnamese, Khmer, Hmong, and Mein.Even among these diverse ethnic groups, the Thailanguage is widely spoken and understood, and theThai script is often used in place of traditionalwriting styles.

FUN FACT

Since the 1950s, Thailand’s government has made efforts to preserve and strengthen the sense of national culture and national identity. During the 1980s and 1990s, however, Thailand saw a resurgence in local culture and traditions. Although there is still a strong national identity, local food, dances, music, celebrations, and beliefs have begun to play a more important role in Thai life.

Cultural ValuesThai culture is deeply influenced by religion.

With around 95% of the country being TheravedaBuddhist, the belief system and values of Buddhismplay a huge role in day-to-day life. Throughout thecountry, the most important values that Thai peoplehold to are respect, self-control, and a non-confrontational attitude. Losing face by showinganger or by telling a lie is a source of great shamefor Thai people.

In general, displays of emotion in public are viewedin a very negative light. No matter how frustratedor upset a person might feel, he or she will alwaysstrive to maintain a positive and friendly attitude, asense of humor, and a smile.

Respect for elders and for those in higher socialpositions is also important. Hierarchies of socialstatus characterize nearly every interaction.Children are expected to respect their parents andteachers. The young must show deference to theelderly. Those with highly prestigious positions insociety, such as doctors, important public figures,and monks are almost revered.

Family is central to Thai life. Although many newly-married couples will set up their own households, it isnot uncommon for extended family to live withthem. Often, grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncleswill all live in the same household and help to raisechildren and provide for the family. Children areexpected to show great respect for their parents, andthey maintain close ties, even well into adulthood.

Although Thailand’s family life and society has beentraditionally male-dominated, women are grantedconsiderable respect. Recent laws and legislation haveallowed women more freedom to move out oftraditional roles and into professions such as politics,medicine, and business. Respect and equal rights forwomen has, in recent decades, become an importantpart of Thailand’s law and values.

FUN FACTAnother concept that is very

important in Thai cultureis sanuk. Sanuk is a wide-reaching ideathat embodies the playfulness and senseof humor that is so central to life inThailand. It could refer to a spontaneousand joyful meeting with someone on thestreet, or a humorous pun made at justthe right moment. The sense of humorand joie de vivre captured in sanuk iscentral to the Thai way of life.

Religion of Thailand Thailand is nearly 94%-95% Therevada Buddhist

(which includes the Thai Forest Tradition and theDhammayuttika Nikaya and Santi Asoke sects), withminorities of Muslims (5-6%), Christians (1%),Mahayana Buddhists, and other religions. ThaiTheravada Buddhism is supported and overseen bythe government, with monks receiving a number ofgovernment benefits, such as free use of the publictransportation infrastructure.

Buddhism Islam Christianity

Buddhism in Thailand is strongly influenced bytraditional beliefs regarding ancestral and naturalspirits, which have been incorporated into Buddhistcosmology. Most Thai people own spirit houses,miniature wooden houses in which they believehousehold spirits live. They present offerings offood and drink to these spirits to keep them happy.If these spirits aren’t happy, it is believed that theywill inhabit the larger household of the Thai, andcause chaos. These spirit houses can be found inpublic places and in the streets of Thailand, wherethe public make offerings.

Muslims are the second largest religious group inThailand at 4.6%. Thailand's southernmostprovinces - Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and part ofSongkhla and Chumphon have dominant Muslimpopulations, consisting of both ethnic Thai andMalay. The southern tip of Thailand is mostly ethnicMalays. Christians, mainly Catholics, represent 0.7%of the population. A small but influentialcommunity of Sikhs in Thailand andsome Hindus also live in the country's cities, and areheavily engaged in retail commerce.

There is also a small Jewish community in Thailand,dating back to the 17th century. Since 2001, Muslimactivists, generally described by the Thaigovernment as terrorists or separatists, have ralliedagainst the central government because of allegedcorruption and ethnic bias on the part of officials.Thailand's Department of Religion, currently underthe Ministry of Culture, is formally responsible forthe registration of religious groups inThailand which hold properties through legallyestablished foundations. It has oversight, along withthe Immigration Police, over the work permits ofmissionaries who are "expatriate religiousworkers" of all religions.

Customs of ThailandThe traditional customs and the folklore of Thai

people were gathered and described by PhyaAnuman Rajadhon in the 20th century, at a timewhen modernity changed the face of Thailand and agreat number of traditions disappeared or becameadapted to modern life. Still, the strife towardsrefinement, rooted in ancient Siamese culture,consisting in promoting what is refined and avoidingcoarseness is the main emphasis in the daily life ofall Thai people and topmost in their scale of values.

One of the most distinctive Thai customs is the wai.Showing greeting, farewell, or acknowledgement, itcomes in several forms reflecting the relative statusof those involved. Generally the salutation involvesa prayer-like gesture with the hands, similar tothe Añjali Mudrā of the Indian subcontinent, and italso may include a slight bow of the head. Thissalutation is often accompanied by a serene smilesymbolizing a welcoming disposition and a pleasantattitude. Thailand is often referred to as the "Landof Smiles" in tourist brochures.

A notable social norm holds that touching someoneon the head may be considered rude. It is alsoconsidered rude to place one's feet at a level abovesomeone else's head, especially if that person is ofhigher social standing. This is because the Thaipeople consider the foot to be the dirtiest andlowliest part of the body, and the head the mostrespected and highest part of the body. This alsoinfluences how Thais sit when on the ground—theirfeet always pointing away from others, tucked tothe side or behind them. Pointing at or touchingsomething with the feet is also considered rude.

FUN FACTPublic display of affection inpublic is not overly common intraditional Thai society,especially between lovers.However, views are changingto accept this and it isbecoming more common,especially among the youngergeneration.

Since serene detachment is valued, conflict andsudden displays of anger are eschewed in Thaiculture and, as is many Asian cultures, the notion offace is extremely important. For these reasons,visitors should take care not to create conflict, todisplay anger or to cause a Thai person to lose face.Disagreements or disputes should be handled with asmile and no attempt should be made to assignblame to another. In everyday life in Thailand, thereis a strong emphasis on the concept of sanuk'; theidea that life should be fun. Because of this, Thai canbe quite playful at work and during day-to-dayactivities. Displaying positive emotions in socialinteractions is also important in Thai culture. Often,the Thai will deal with disagreements, minormistakes or misfortunes by using the phrase "mai

Respect for hierarchy is a very important value forThai people. The custom of bun khun, emphasizesthe indebtedness towards parents, as well astowards guardians, teachers and caretakers. Itdescribes the feelings and practices involved incertain relationships organized around generalizedreciprocity, the slow-acting accounting of anexchange calculated according to locally interpretedscales and measures. It is also considered extremelyrude to step on a Thai coin, because the king's headappears on the coin

Another holiday is Loi Krathong, which is held onthe 12 full moon of the Thai lunar calendar. Whilenot a government-observed holiday, it isnonetheless an auspicious day in Thai culture, inwhich Thai people "loi", meaning "to float" a"krathong", a small raft traditionally made from asection of banana tree, decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, incensesticks etc. The act of floating away the candle raft issymbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, angerand defilements, so that one can start life afresh ona better foot.

Thai people are great sports enthusiasts andsports lovers. Thailand sports play a major partin the life of every Thai national. Thais enjoyboth traditional and indigenous games as wellas modern games.

Sports of Thailand

There are wide array of sport activities to choosefrom in Thailand. Golf is the most popular Thaisport apart from badminton, soccer, boxing,snooker, tennis and bowling. Traditional games ofThai boxing, kite-fighting, boat racing and takro arealso practiced in Thailand.

Golf is one of the most popular Thailand sports. The soothing weather of Thailand makes golfing possible all throughout the year in the various golf courses spread at various places in the country. Because of the closeness of the sea to Thailand, deep-sea fishing is a vital sport in the country.

CUISINE OF THAILAND

Delicious

Thai cuisine is more accurately described as four regional cuisines, corresponding to the four main regions of the country: Central Thai- cuisine of the flat and wet central rice-

growing plains, site of the former Thai kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, and the Dvaravati culture of the Mon people from before the arrival of Tai groups in the area.

Isan or Northeastern Thai- cuisine of the more arid Khorat Plateau, similar in culture to Laos and also influenced by Khmer cuisine in its south.

Northern Thai- cuisine of the verdant valleys and cool, forested mountains of the Thai highlands, once ruled by the former Lanna Kingdom.

Southern Thai- cuisine of the Kra Isthmus, with its many island and bordered on two sides by tropical seas, and including the ethnic Malay, former Sultanate of Pattani in the deep south.

Famous Foods in Thailand

Khao man gai - chicken and rice~ This is Thailand’s answer to British fish and chips – an ubiquitous meal served mostlyduring the daytime (while

stocks last) at special khao man gai dedicated stalls and restaurants. The chicken is gently boiled until it is tender then the water is used in boiling the rice. This means that khao man gai – apart from being delicious –is high in cholesterol. Served with a chicken broth and delicious sweet and spicy sauces, it’s the perfect midday snack.

Massaman CurryMassaman is the Thaiword for "Muslim",which is the communityto heartily thank for thisconcoction of coconutmilk, potatoes, roastedpeanuts, bay leaves,sugar, cinnamon, andtamarind sauce. Themeat of choice is oftenbeef or chicken, butbecause it's beenembraced by theBuddhists, pork can alsobe found.

Kao Phad (Fried Rice)A good old fried rice. Onfirst sight, kao phadappears to be little morethan a big heap of rice;you call that a meal? Buttry it. Augmented withyour choice of meat 'shrimp and chickenbeing the most popular 'and egg, onion, cilantro,garlic, and tomatoes,this is rice with hiddensecrets. Spice to tastewith chili sauce andenjoy.

Tom Kha GaiPossibly the world'smost refreshing soup,tom kaa gai (boiledgalangal chicken)combines coconut milkwith lemongrass,galangal ' ginger's Asiansister ' and chicken. It's asweet, tame twist ontom yam goong. On atable filled withdelectable Thai dishes,tom kaa gai stands out;your spoon will return tothis bowl time and again.

Geng Kheaw Wan Gai (Green Curry Chicken)

So what gives green curry itscolour? Green curry paste.Sorry, not an exciting answer,but it is an exciting dish. Of allthe curries, and there’s plentyof them, the one that’s thecolour of American money isamong the spiciest. It’s alsothe least like Indian curry;Thailand has a way of makingborrowed food distinctivelyThai. The proof is in thecoconut milk.

Gai Med Ma Moung (Chicken Cashew Nuts)

Roasted cashew nuts. Sweetsoy sauce. Honey. Garlic.And, of course, chilis ' itwould be Thai food without alittle enjoyable pain. Threecheers for the clever soulthat figured out nuts andchicken were a good mix. Adish this popular must bemore than a little good.Phuket raises the standardwith a vast supply of some ofthe world's best cashewnuts, and they're grownlocally.

Som TamSom tam ' spicy papayasalad ' comes fromnortheast Thailand, butit's reached near-cultstatus throughout therest of the country. Slightregional differences iningredients meansplacement on the sweet-or-sour scale may varygreatly betweenrestaurants. Common toall recipes is shreddedgreen papaya and ahealthy dose of heat.Barbequed chicken andlumps of sticky rice arethe perfect companions.

Kuay Tiew (Noodle Soup)Brush up on your chopstick skillsand get your slurping musclesready, noodle soup is a quick-and-easy staple of the Thai eatingexperience. Variations iningredients mean ten differentvendors could serve it tendifferent ways ' making it nearlydeserving of its own top ten list.Noodles ' usually thin,occasionally broad ' are served upin a broth with just about anyedible meat: pork, chicken, beef,duck, and seafood being the mostpopular. One sample and you maynot stop until you've tried themall.

Pad ThaiThailand's calling card to therest of the culinary world, padThai doesn't need anintroduction. There are aninfinite number of variations onthis timeless tradition, butusually noodles are dressed upwith tofu, bean sprouts, onion,and the brilliant final touch:peanuts ground to near dust.Pad Thai is a diner-participationmeal; you put on the finishingtouches of fish sauce, sugar,chili powder, and crushedpeanuts to suit your taste.

Tom Yam GoongThis is the national aroma ofThailand, thanks to thegenerous use of fragrantherbs. Lemongrass, limeleaves, galangal, and shallotsprovide the memorablesmells, with chilis and fishsauce providing the kick.Substance comes in the formof jumbo shrimp (goong) andmushrooms. The flavour is aunique combination of spicyhot and sour and makes foran ideal start to a meal, or -when paired with rice - aworthy main dish.

FUN FACTS

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