Food of ASEAN countries:

THAILAND

Asst. Prof. Dr. Saroat Rawdkuen

School of Agro-Industry, Mae Fah Luang University
Tel: 053-916738, E-mail: saroat@mfu.ac.th
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 Content
Introduction
Historical development & influences
Regional foods
North
Northeast
Central
South
Other types of Thai foods
Cooking process & utensil

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 Introduction
Thailand is, and historically been, an
agricultural country with most Thais
making their livelihood as farmers.
Rice and fish remains an important part in
their daily meals, and has since the
Sukhothai period about 700 years ago.
During this period the country enjoyed
great prosperity, and was known by the
saying, Sukhothai is good, In the water there
are fish. In field there is rice.
Thai food, particularly rice, is a staple eaten
during most meals and commonly found in
other Southeast Asian diets.

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 Introduction
Despite acting as a trade conduit
throughout its history, Thailand, unlike
many other Asian nations, has never been
ruled by a European power.
Closer neighbors were not so easily
rebuffed and Thailand was periodically
invaded, most notable by Burma.
Despite these incursions, Thailands
remarkably stable religious (Buddhist) grown
food, is reflected in its historic cuisine.
Buddhism permeates all aspects of Thai
life.
So, food and religion are bound together.

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 Introduction
Today, food in Thailand is quite different from those
in the past, as a result of Thailands development,
the lifestyle of the people in the country changed.
There came a change in eating habits for most
Thais, especially when compared to what they ate
in the past, todays convenient foods, ready-to-eat,
fast food, and ready-to-cook.
There is increased consumption of Western style
food, such as milk, bread and fast food.
Thai diet in the twenty-first century will most
likely be processed and convenient food designed
to accommodate their busy lifestyle.
This change may also be due in the part to the
proliferation of the food industry as the country
shifts from its traditional agriculture base to agro-
industry.
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 Historical development
There are many Thai foods that originated in Thailand,
and have been handed down from generation to
generation.
Central Thai dishes best represent original Thai food.
Also owes its variety of dishes and tastes to the foreign
influences Thailand came in contact with over the
centuries.
During the reign of King Narai the Great, there were
many countries, near and far, that came to establish
diplomatic relations with Siam.
Some of these foreigners who lived in the country
served the Royal Thai government for a long time and
were promoted to high-ranking posts in the
government.
Some of these foreigners were from Greece, Persia,
Holland, Japan, Portugal, France, China, India and
other nations.
Some of the wives of these high-ranking officers were
responsible for cooking meals for the court.
Consequently, some of the Thai food was derived from
these countries.
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 Historical development
During the Ayutthaya period, it was
recorded that there is no other country that
tries to save food the way the Siamese do.
During the Ayutthaya period that the
Thais ate rice, and the dishes that went
with rice included fresh and dried fish,
vegetables, fruits.
Ayutthaya people had sea fish and kapi,
fish sauce, and salted crab.
From Ayutthaya, the capital city was
moved to Thon Buri, and finally to
Bangkok which was then known as the
Krung Ratanakosin period.

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 Influences
Geographically, culinary ideas have seeped
into Thailand through the permeable
borders with Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and
Burma.
China, who had a far reaching influence on
the entire region, has also made her mark
on Thai cuisine.
The dishes found along the Mekong river
have close affiliations to Laos, Cambodia and
Vietnam.
Around Chiang Mai there are burmese-
style curries and soups, and close to
Malaysia, Muslim recipes such as massaman
and roti are common.

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 Influences
The most significant addition to Thai
cuisine came not from Asia but from South
America, via Europe.
In the 16th century the Portuguese
introduced what was to become one of the
hallmarks of the cuisine, the chilli.
Thai cuisine, like that of other cultures
which accepted the chilli so readily, had
long included an element of heat by way of
fresh green peppercorns, dried white peppercorns
and galangal.
As well, foreign vegetables and fruit have
been cultivated for the last couple of
centuries: tomatoes, eggplants, asparagus,
carrots, snow peas and corn are common.

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 Regional Foods

Thai food varies from region to region.

It depends on several factors, i.e. geographic
differences, climate, beliefs and culture.

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 Northern Foods

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 The foods of the North
Northern Thailand, which is the area
bordered by Burma to the west and
Laos to the east, has always had a strong
regional identity that is distinctively
different from the Thailand of the South
and of the Centre.
Hill tribes farm the hillsides, growing
corn and rice, and families work as
collectives, helping each other during
the planting and harvest time.
The cooler climate of the hills means
that many types of European fruit grow
well there, so peaches, apples and
strawberries are found growing alongside
lychees.
Non-indigenous vegetables such as
asparagus, snow peas and corn are also
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 The foods of the North
Above all the other dishes of the
area, Northern Thai curries have
Burmese influences.
Made without coconut milk, they
are fiery and thinner in consistency.
Kaeng hangleh muu, Chiang Mai
pork curry, is the most famous.
Naam phrik, chili dips, are also
popular, served with cooked or raw
vegetables and crunchy pieces of
deep-fried pork rind.

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 The foods of the North
Pork is more popular in this
region, eaten both in its natural
state and made into sausages.
Nham, fermented sausages made
with pork rind and sticky rice, are
common, as are Sai ua, bright red
sausages made with pork and chili
paste.
German-style frankfurters appear
in salads and this is just one of the
influences that American soldiers,
stationed in the area during the
Vietnam war, had on the cuisine.

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 The foods of the North
Khao niaw, sticky rice, is the
preferred rice, eaten with dishes
such as naam phrik, som tam or
pomelo salad and with kaeng
hangleh muu.
Many dishes are always served
with sticky rice.
Sticky rice can be bought ready-
cooked wrapped in banana
leaves, or in plastic bags, at
markets.

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 The foods of the North
Noodles are popular due to the large
amounts of Chinese and Burmese people
who live in the area.
Khao soi, flate egg noodles with curry,
is a specialty of Chiang Mai, sold by
Yunnanese noodle vendors.
Khamon jiin and Kuaytiaw (types of
rice noodles) are also popular and Wun
sen, mung bean noodles, are used in
salads and soups as well as being
wrapped in rice paper rolls in the same
way as Vietnamese spring rolls.

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 The foods of the North
Formal meals are served in
small bowls on a Khao niaw,
teak platter
This is a revival of old-style
serving that has become popular
once again.
Another specialty of the area is
insects.
Deep-fried bamboo worm,
water beetles and various other
insects are sold as snacks.

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 Nort-Eastern Foods

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 The foods of the North-East
This region is known as Isaan and the
food of the region is identified by the
same name.
Most of the area is a high plateau
divided by the Phu Phan mountains.
Divided from the rest of Thailand by
more mountains, Laos and Cambodia,
just over the border, have had a strong
culinary influence, with much of the
cuisines overlapping.
The Mekong rive flows along the
border with both countries and has
been the main means of trade for
centuries.

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 The foods of the North-East
North-Eastern Thailand was one of the first
areas in Asia to grow rice.
Rice is cultivated over much of the plateau but,
unlike in other areas of Thailand, rain is less
reliable, thus making the yield patchy.
Sticky rice is preferred in the countryside and
long-grain rice in the cities.
As much of the area is poorer than the rest of
the country, food reflects this.
Rice is staple and dishes that are served with it
are small in quantity but very pungent in flavor.
Unfermented fish sauce and chilies are the
main seasonings.
Commonly used pickled and preserved foods
are another symptom of an unreliable food
supply and also add more flavor to a diet of rice
in this form than their original fresh state.
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 The foods of the North-East
Kai yang or Kai ping, grilled chicken, is
found all over the area, often sold by
roadside vendors.
The chicken skin is rubbed with garlic, fish
sauce, coriander root or lemon grass and
black pepper, then the chicken is usually
flattened and pinned on a bamboo skewer
before being barbecued over coals and
served with a chili dipping sauce.
Chicken is also made into Laap, a minced
meat salad made with lime juice, fish sauce,
lemon grass, chilies or chili powder and
Khao khua pon, roasted rice.
Duck, fish and buffalo are also used to
make Laap, and Neu naam tok, grilled
strips of beef, are used for similar salads.

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 The foods of the North-East
Som tam, a green papaya salad with
chilies, peanuts, cheery tomatoes
and dried shrimp, is a popular
snack.
Individual portions are pounded
together by hand and eaten with
sticky rice.
The addition of picked crabs
transforms Som tam into Laotian-
style dish.
Soups are hot and sour style tom,
or spicy style, sukii.
Sukii are served in steamboats and
each person dips in and cooks their
own set of ingredients.
The very south of the region has
some coconut milk in soups.

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 The foods of the North-East
Insects and frogs are popular,
and red ants are used as a souring
agent in some dishes.
Fish are freshwater, the Mekong
river being famous for the giant
catfish caught from it, mainly in
the months of April and May.

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 Central Foods

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 The foods of the Center and Bangkok
Central Thailand runs upwards from
the Isthmus of Kra and encompasses
the plains north of Bangkok.
To the East is stretches to the
Cambodian border, and to the West as
far as Burma.
Much of this area, which is watered by
many rivers, constitutes the rice-bowl
of Thailand.
A network of canals further irrigates
the region, as well as providing a
means of transport.
Paddy fields cover most of the area,
but fruit, sugar cane, maize, peanuts and
taro are also cultivated on a large scale.

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 The foods of the Center and Bangkok
Though most of this area has no access to
the sea, the waterways provide a host of
freshwater fish, prawns (shrimp) and crabs.
Crabs and fish even live amongst the paddy
as do the frogs and water beetles that are
commonly eaten.
Chicken, pork and beef feature in the
cuisine, alongside the fish.
The fertility of these regions means many
vegetables grow easily and cultivated
vegetables include the popular Thai
eggplants (aubergines), cha-om (a bitter
green vegetable that resembles a fern), and
bamboo shoots, as well as snake beans and
European vegetables like tomatoes.
Vegetables grown in or alongside the
waterways include phak bung (water
spinach) and lotus shoots.
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 The foods of the Center and Bangkok
The cuisine of the Centre is what is
generally considered to be classic Thai
and includes what are probably the
most recognizable Thai dishes.
Curries include red, green and
phanaeng.
Soups are tom khaa kai, tom yam and
kaeng jeut (bland soup).
Yam (salads) are popular as are stir-
fries.
Dishes influenced by the Chinese
include those baked in clay pots,
various noodle dishes as well as some
braised dishes flavoured with Chinese
spices.
Japanese-style sukii (similar to
sukiyaki) is also available.
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 The foods of the Center and Bangkok
Seasonings are classic, designed to
give the typical hot, sour, salty and
sweet combination.
The use of palm sugar makes many
recipes sweeter than their southern
counterparts.
Si Racha on the Gulf of Thialand is
famous for the chili sauce made
there and it appears as a condiment
on virtually every table

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 Southern Foods

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 The foods of the South
The 14 provinces that make up the
area between the Isthmus of Kra
(the narrowest point in Thailand)
and the Malasian border have
always been culturally different
from the rest of the country.
Once under the influence of the
ancient Indonesian Sriwijaya
empire along with areas of Malaysia,
Malay-Indonesian culture and religion
is still apparent in the life and
language of the South

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The foods of the South
The provinces closest to Malaysia
have large numbers of Muslims,
mostly concentrated around the
coast and on surrounding islands
where they make their living by
fishing.
Buddhist Thai peoples farm the
inland regions and a Chinese
minority mainly live and work in
the cities.

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 The foods of the South
Seafood and fish are the predominate
feature of Southern cuisine and are
acceptable to all, both culturally and
in regard to religion.
With the advantage of two long
coastlines, fresh fish and seafood is
eaten in abundance.
It is grilled over charcoal, used in
stir-fries or curries, and even more
of it is preserved by drying.
Racks of dried squid and cotton fish
line many coastal roads.
Locally made shrimp paste and fish
sauce are used in quantity.

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 The foods of the South
The South is also the land of the
palm tree.
Coconut and oil palms are
farmed in plantations as well as
growing wild, fringing the
beaches on both coasts.
Further up the Isthmus, sugar
palms are grown for their sweet
sap.
Phuket is home to many
pineapple plantations and rice
is cultivated wherever it can be
persuaded to grow.

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 The foods of the South
There are 3 main styles of cooking:
Thai (Buddhist) curries and soups are
often tempered and enriched by the
addition of coconut milk or cream.
Spices include turmeric and pepper,
and chilies are used with abandon.
Yellow curries are popular.
Muslim dishes use ghee and oil rather
than coconut and use a larger range of
fragrant species including cardamon,
cumin and cloves.

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 The foods of the South
Kang matsaman, an indian-style curry, is
at its best in the South.
Indo-Malay dishes such as satay are
popular as are indian-style roti.
Chinese-style dishes include Khamon
jiin (Chinese-style rice noodle),
barbecued meats, various deep-fried
snacks, steamed buns, and dumplings.
Coffee shops sell Kopi (filtered coffee)
Khao yam, cooked dry rice, toasted
coconut, makrut (kaffir) lime leaves,
bean sprouts and lemon grass.

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 Other Types of Thai Foods

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 Ceremonial Food: North
For special occasions most Thais will
prepare certain food for the various
festivals and religious ceremonies.
Prapaenee Khao Jee Larm: prepare
certain food and offer it to the rice
goddess so that she will take care of the
barn and prevent the animals, or others,
from eating or damaging the grain.
Prapaenee Dum hua: the food used in
this ceremony generally includes fruit
such as bananas, sugar cane, ma-prang,
cucumbers and young coconuts.
Prapaenee Kan-Tok: the food includes
steamed glutinous rice, gaeng ohm,
gaeng hung ley, sai oua, keep moo, nam
phrik, laab-nuea, khanom jog or khanom
thien.

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 Ceremonial Food: Northeast
Bun Khao Jee: food commonly presented in
this ceremony includes khao jee with egg,
tom pla, laab nuea, tom nor mai, and various
kinds of jaew.
Khao Pansa: the food served in this ceremony
includes grilled beef, grilled fish, laab, khao
tom pad, khanom thian, jaew, mok pla and
kua gai.
Boon Khao Pra Dab Din: the popular food is
grilled beef, laab and soup, kua muea, gaeng
nau mai, khanom thian and khao tom mud.
Tesakarn Boon Khao Sak: food prepared for this
occasion includes jaew som or jaew phrik
daeng, jaeu bong, grilled fish, gilled beef,
mok pla, mok nau mai, steamed pumpkin,
gaeng ron and gaeng jued wun sen.

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 Ceremonial Food: Central
Songkran: Songkran day is considered the
Thai New year, and the important foods in
this festival are khao meow daeng, caramea,
khao shair.
Tesakarn Sart: one dish commonly presented
in this festival is krayasart, which is made of
khao mout, khao tok, beans, sesame,
coconut and sugarcane juice, then stir fried
and wrapped in banana leaves.
Tesakarn Auk Pansa: the special food in this
festival is khao tom look you (made of
glutinous rice) and kha pad.
Open house ceremony: this ceremony includes
food that signifies goodwill and good
fortune, such as foil thong, thong yib,
khanom tauy fu and khanom shunt
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 Ceremonial Food: South
Prapaenee Tum Boon Duean Sib: the
special food that is prepared for this
festival includes khanom la, khao
pong, khanom deesome and
khanom kai pla.

Prapaenee Chuk Phra: there are

certain foods that are prepared for
this festival, such as khanom pad
which is made from regular
glutinous rice and coconut milk;
another specialty is called khao tom
bai pau, which is wrapped into a
triangular shape.

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 Medicinal food
Thai dishes apparently have
more health advantages than
food from other countries.
Thai is because most Thai
dishes contain various
ingredients that have medicinal
value.
The following ingredients are
examples of food with
medicinal value.

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 Thai Name Common Name Medicinal Value Photo
Ka-thiam Garlic - Used for skin disease,
- Disease of GI system
- Lower blood cholesterol
- Lower blood sugar in DM
Ton kui chai Chinese leek - Diuretic
- Antiseptic for urinary tract
Kha-min Turmeric - Carminative
- Antacid
khing Ginger - Carminative
- Diuretic
- Appetizer
Ta Khrai Lemon grass - Diuretic
- Diuretic
- Perspiration
Ma kham sod Tamarind fresh - Anti-coughing
- Laxative
Ma kruut Kaffir-lime - Anti-dandruff
- Carminative
Sara nae Mint - Stomach ache
- Carminative
Bua boke Indian pennywort - Diuretic
Ma nao Lemon - Anti-scurvy
- Anti-coughing
Taeng Cucumber - Diuretic
Kha Galangal - Carminative
- Anti-asthma and bronchitis

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 Food believes and Taboos
During pregnancy, especially in the
rural areas of Thailand, a womans diet
may be restricted for fear that some
food may cause problems, both for the
mother and baby.
After she has given birth, another
culture practice --Yoo faiis
observed.
A practice that has been followed for
generations, the mother is required to stay
near a wood fire and keep warm.
In addition, the lactating mother is
forbidden to consume certain foods.
Upheld by lactating mothers in the rural
areas, Yoo fai is largely ignore by many
urban Thais.
The following is a list of food that is
considered to be taboo for pregnant
women, lactating mothers and children.
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 Pregnant women

Restricted Food Reason/Beliefs

Hot (spicy) food Baby may have bald head
Banana flower Baby may have big head
Twin banana Produces twin babies
Eel Baby may have a longer umbilical cord
Turtle Difficult to deliver the baby
Oily food or coconut Difficult to deliver the baby
Eel, catfish Induces fever
Pickled vegetable Causes diarrhea; baby may have bald head
Preserved bamboo shoot Caused diarrhea; abortion
Durian Causes feverish feeling
Young coconut Causes diarrhea; difficult to deliver the baby

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 Lactating mother

Restricted Food Reason/Beliefs

Glutinous rice Causes pain and uterus not involted
Tapioca Causes pain, dizziness and stiff chin
Cockles Causes bleeding; increases vaginal discharge
String bean Causes feelings of sickness and bleeding
Albino buffalo meat Causes headache
Certain vegetables (cha- Causes fever and headache
om, sa-sow, bamboo
shoot)
Marum Difficulty in breathing
Duck Causes paralysis
Egg Causes slack uterus

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 Pre-school children

Restricted Food Reason/Beliefs

Glutinous rice Difficulty in digestion; causes fever and pain
Beef Causes a skin rash
Bonito fish Causes swollen gums, itching
Bamboo shoot Causes big belly, itching
Tamarind Causes fever
Collard greens Causes vomiting, diarrhea
Guava May cause appendicitis
Green mango, pineapple Causes diarrhea
Ripe papaya Causes diarrhea and fever
Mangosteen Causes stomachaches and diarrhea

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 Thais like to eat at all hours of
Street Foods the day.
Street or hawker food is a
subculture Thai thrives all over
the country.
Rot khen (vendor carts) are
parked by the roadside in even
the smallest village.
Mostly found near markets
during the day, Hawker food
comes into its own at dusk and
into the night.

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 Where to find street food
Hawker stalls are allowed to set up virtually wherever they like.
They can be found around the edge of markets, beside busy roads,
down back streets or close to bus stops and stations.
Stalls can be simple carts, which are pushed home every night, or
they can be more permanent.
Those that have a good reputation last for years, decades, and even
generations on the same spot.

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 Types of street food
There are 5 basic types of street food identifiable by the type of stall that
sells them.
Carts with glass showcases sell dishes like som tam (green papaya salad),
noodle dishes and soups, roast pork and chicken and Chinese chicken
rice.
Stalls with charcoal barbecues sell satay, barbecued chicken and pork,
Thai sausages, dried squid and grilled bananas.
Steamer domes indicate red braised pork, Chinese dumplings and buns,
pumpkin custard and sticky rice in banana leaves.
Cart fitted with a large hotplate make mussels in batter, omelettes,
pancakes and fried noodles.
Ready-cooked food comes from vendors with prepared dishes such as
fish curry in banana cups, pork-rind soups and lots of different puddings
such as sticky rice.
Drinks carts sell fruit juices and sweets served over crushed ice.
Other specialist carts sell fresh fruit, preserved fruit and seafood,
including boiled clams or cockles.
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 Cooking Processes & Utensil

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 Cooking processes
In the preparation of Thai food, one
has to learn about the utensil to be
used, method and techniques of
cooking.
Certain Thai food may use different
utensils in their preparation.
The following section describes the
type of utensil needed, as well as the
methods of cooking and required
measurements.

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 Cooking utensils
Stove: an earthen stove, using charcoal or
wood stick as fuel, is still commonly used in the
rural areas for cooking food. However in the
urban areas, gas or electric stoves are more
widely used.
Pots: in the old days earthen pots were used to
cook rice or soup-gaeng. Today aluminum,
glazed or stainless steel pots are generally used.
Pans and ladles: one essentially Chinese
tradition that has been adopted by the Thais is a
considerable amount of rapid cooking over high
heat, stir-fried dishes in an iron pan. Kata
(wok) are prominent in the cuisine.
Mortar and pestle are used to grind food
substances, such as garlic, pepper, chilies, dried
shrimp to make nam phrik or gaeng phet for
preparation hot curry.
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 Cooking utensils
Kra tai kud ma praow (or utensil for
shredding coconut): the Thai name is derived
from its shape which look more like a rabbit and
was used in the past to make coconut milk.
Basin: Clay basins are used for fermenting
vegetables, salting crab or containing shrimp
paste. A grazed basin is used to wash vegetables,
fruit and meat.
Plates and bowls, which are used regularly, are
made of either galvanized iron or porcelain.
Fork and spoon are currently used, and have
been since the reign of King Rama the fifth
(1870). Before, Thai people ate with their fingers.
Bowls made either of brass or galvanized iron
are used to hold drinking water, which usually is
rainwater kept cool in an earthen jar.
Steamers are used for cooking both Thai dished
and sweets.
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 Eating Thai Foods
With the exception of snacks such as
noodles, green papaya salad, or a single
portion of curry over rice, Thai food is, on
the whole, made to be shared.
Portions are served on platters and meant
for at least two people.
Everything on the table is an
accompaniment to rice, the most
important component of the meal.
Generally the rice is served with a curry, a
fish dish, a stir-fry, a salad, a soup and
vegetables.
All the food is served at once (unlike
European tradition, soups come in a large
bowl and are eaten with the meal, not
before it).
Meals begin when the host says kin khao
or eat rice.
The food is not necessarily eaten piping hot.
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 Etiquettes
Thai people eat with a spoon and
fork, the fork being used to push food
onto the spoon or to pick up pieces of
meat or sliced fruit.
Chopsticks are only used with noodles,
and sticky rice and its accompaniments
are eaten using the right hand.
When eating in Thailand there are
further subtle areas of etiquette to be
observed.
Platters of food are left on the table, and
not passed around, as stretching is not
considered rude and someone on the
other side of the table will always be
happy to spoon things onto your plate.
You should only take a couple of
spoonful of each dish at a time as an
accompaniment to rice.

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 Food and change
In the past most Thais cooked rice by boiling it and draining the milk liquid,
which is nutritious.
However, this practice is very rare now, and rice is cooked by using an electric
steamer, which is more convenient and keeps all the vitamins intact.
Generally, Thais eat rice with khab khao (meat and vegetables prepared as a dish
and eaten with rice).
Thai dishes are cooked various ways; they are boiled with or without curry or
coconut milk, stir-fried or deep-fried, roasted or steamed.
Actually, there are many Thai foods that have medicinal value; however, such food
usually takes a lot of time to prepare.
Thai people nowadays tend to eat out because many of them do not have enough
time to cook at home. If they have time to prepare a meal, they tend to cook the
quickest and simplest dish.
Quick cooking methods and special utensils are now available in the kitchen.
Vegetable oil such as soybean oil is commonly used for stir-fried food instead of
lard and coconut oil, which were more commonly used in the past.

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 Food and change
Fish is considered a common food in Thai
meals.
Various methods are utilized to cook fish
roasting, steaming, deep-frying.
When roasting, fish is either wrapped with
banana leaves or coated with clay, then
roasted over a charcoal stove.
This cooking practice has been replaced by
using aluminum foil and an oven, which is
more convenient than the charcoal stove.
Many people think that food in the oven is
good for ones health, since no fat or oil is
used in the preparation.

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 Food and change
The growth of agro-industry in Thailand
has grown tremendously in recent years.
In the past, most Thais prepared their meals by
obtaining their food daily from the
marketplace, near their homes.
The situation has changed with the advent of
convenient foods that are available at mini-
marts or supermarkets, especially those in the
big cities.
With the availability of the refrigerator and
freezer at reasonable prices, which the majority
of Thais can afford, there are a lot of people
who do not need to buy food every day because
they have a better way of keeping it.
With new technology there are also many types
of processed food available.
These food products are very convenient for
consumers to handle or to use because the
packing is well developed.
Many of these come as ready-to-eat products.
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 Food and change
The technology used in food processing
may alter the taste, texture and aroma or a
particular product, which in certain causes
may not be as good as the fresh one.
However, it saves time for those who may
have a busy work schedule.
One example is Thai curry, which requires
many ingredients and takes time to
prepare; but now, a ready-to-eat curry is
available and takes less time to make.
Or, if one wants to cook curry, one can use
the curry-powdered mixture with UHT
coconut milk or coconut cream.
Most ready-to-cook food is also available in
the market.
With this new technology, the eating
pattern of most Thais has obviously been
changed.

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 References
Cwiertka, K., and Boudewijn, W. 2002. Asian Food: The Global and the
Local. Manoa: University of Hawaii Press.
Ling, K.F. 2002. The Food of Asia: Authentic Recipes from China, India,
Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Periplus
Editions.
Noor, M.I. 2000. The Food of ASEAN. Misas Advertising, Kuala Lumpur.
Pitchford, P. 2002. Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and
Modern Nutrition. North Atlantic Books.
Xu, W. 2007. Eating Identities: Reading Food in Asian American
Literature. University of Hawaii Press.

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