Thai silk, cotton, nielloware, silverware, bronzeware, pottery and celadon, pewter, precious stones, finished jewelry and a dazzling range of folk handicrafts make memorable gifts and souvenirs. International standard ready-made sportswear and leisurewear is inexpensive and quality tailors and dressmakers offer reliable 24-hour service in Bangkok and major tourist destinations.

Textiles
Fabric is possibly the best all-round buy in Thailand. Thai silk is considered the best in world- the coarse weave and soft texture of the silk means it is more easily dyed than harder, smoother silks, resulting in brighter coulours and a unique lustre. Silks, can be purchased cheaply in the North and North – East where it is made or, more easily, in Bangkok. Excellent and reasonably priced tailor ships can make you choice of fabric into almost any pattern. A Thai silk suit should cost around 400 to 6,500 Baht. Chinese silk is available at about half the cost – “washed” Chinese silk makes inexpensive, comfortable shirts or blouses.

Cottons are also a good deal – common items like the phaakhamaa (reputed to have over a hundred uses in Thailand) and the phaasin (the slightly larger female equivalent) make great tablecloths and curtains. Good ready- made cotton shirts are available, such as the maw hawn (Thai work shirt) and the kuay haeng (Chinese -style shirt). See the sections on Pasang in the Northern Thailand chapter and Ko Yo in the Southern Thailand chapter for places to see cotton-weaving.

In recent years, cotton-weaving has become very popular in the North-East and there are fabulous finds in Nong Khai, Poi-Et, Khon Kaen and Mahasarakham. The mawn khwaan, a hard, triangle-shaped pillow made in the North-East, makes a good souvenir and comes in many sizes. The North – East is also famous for its mat-mii cloth, thick cotton or silk fabric woven from tie-dyed threads – similar to Indonesia’s ikat fabrics.

In the North you can find Lanna-style textiles based on intricate Thai Lu patterns from Nan, Laos and China’s Sipsongpanna (Xishuangbanna).

Fairly nice batik (pa-te) is available in the South in patterns that are more similar to the batik found in Malaysia than in Indonesia.

Clothing
Tailor-made and ready-made clothes are relatively inexpensive. If you’re not particular about style you could pick up an entire wardrobe of travelling clothes at one of Bangkok’s may street market (e.g. Pratunam) for what you’d pay for one designer shirt in New York or Paris.

You’re more likely to get a good fit if you resort to a tailor but be wary of the quickie made of inferior fabric or the poor tailoring means the arms start falling off after three weeks wear. It’s best to ask Thai or longtime foreign resident for a tailor recommendation and then go for two or three fittings.

Shoulder Bags
Thai shoulder bags (yaam) are generally quite well made. They come in many varieties, somewoven by hill tribes, other by Northern Thai cottage industry. The best are made by the Lahu hill tribes, whom the Thais call “Musoe”. The weaving is more skiful and the bags tend to last longer than those made by other tribes. For an extra-large yaam, the Karen-made bag is a good choice, and is easy to find in the Mae Sot and Mae Hong Son areas. These days many hill tribes are copying patterns from tribes other than their own.

Overall, Chiang Mai has the best selection of standard shoulder bags, but Bangkok has the best prices – try the Indian district, Pahurat, for these as well as anything else made of cloth. Roi-Et and Mahasarakham in the North-East are also good hunting grounds for locally made shoulder bags. Prices range from 50 Baht for a cheaply made bag to 200B for something special.

Antiques
Real antiques cannot be taken out of Thailand without a permit from the Fine Arts Department. No Buddha image, new or old, may be exported without permission – again, refer to the Fine Arts Department, or, in some cases, the Department of Religious Affairs, under the Ministry of Education. Too many private collectors smuggling and hoarding Siamese art (Buddhas in particular) around the world have led to strict controls.

Chinese and Thai antiques are sold in Bangkok’s Chinatown in two areas: Wang Burapha (the streets which have Chinese “gates” over the entrance) and Nakhon Kasem. Some antiques (and many fakes) are sold at the Weekend Market in Chatuchak Park. Objects for sale in the tourist antique shops are fantastically overpriced, as can be expected. In recent years Northern Thailand has become a good source of Thai antiques – prices are about half what you’d typically pay in Bangkok.

Jewellery
Thailand is one of the world’s largest exporters of gems and ornaments, rivalled only by India and Sri Lanka. The International Colorstones Association (ICA) relocated from Los Angeles to Bangkok’s Chan Issara Tower a few years ago, and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has established a bourse in Bangkok – two events that recognize that Thailand has become the world trade and production centre for precious stones. The biggest importers of Thai jewellery are the USA, Japan and Switzerland.

Although rough stone sources in Thailand itself have decreased dramatically, stones are now imported from Australia, Sri Lanka and other countries to be cut, polished and traded here. There are over 30 diamond-cutting houses in Bangkok alone. One of the results of this remarkable growth of the gem industry – in Thailand the gem trade has increased nearly 10% every year for the last 15 years – is that the prices are rising rapidly.

If you know what you are doing you can make some really good buys in both unset gems and finished jewellery. Gold ornaments are sold at a good rate as labour costs are low. The best bargains in gems are jade, rubies and sapphires. Buy from reputable dealers only, unless you’re a gemologist.

The biggest gem centres in Thailand are Kanchanaburi – these areas are where the Bangkok dealers go to buy their stones. The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (Tel. (02) 513-2112; fax 236-7803), 484 Ratchadaphisek Rd. (off Lat Phrao Rd. in the Huay Khwang district, north-east Bangkok), offers short-term courses in gemology as well as tours of gem mines for those interested. You can bring gems here for inspection but they don’t assess value, only authenticity and grading.

The Jewel Fest Club
Jewellery and gemstones from Thailand are favourite items for many visitors to the Kingdom. Their beauty, quality craftsmanship and reasonable prices have earned Thai precious and semi-precious stones an unmatched reputation worldwide.

Occasionally, however, visitors encounter unethical jewelers who sell jewelry at unreasonable prices. With the cooperation of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Jewel Fest Club was established, bringing together 46 leading jewelry manufacturers and wholesalers. The club’s aim is to offer quality products at reasonable prices with a money-back guarantee if buyers are not completely satisfied with their purchases. Retail outlets bear the emblem featured here for ready identification.

When you purchase an item of jewellery from a store that is clearly identified as a member of the Jewel Fest Club, your purchase will be duly recorded and a certificate detailing your purchase will be issued. Not only does this certificate of authenticity clearly state the nature and price of your purchase, it also guarantees your refund should you wish to return the purchase, cut by 10 % it you return the merchandise to the point of sale within 30 days, and by 20 % after 30 days but within 45 days of purchase.

For more details about the club and the benefits offered, contact Tel: (66-2) 235-339,(66-2)267-5233-7 Fax : (66-2) 267-5238,(66-2) 235-3040

Gemopolis
As the name suggests, Gemopolis is a self-contained complex, some 300 acres in size, in eastern Bangkok, that is devoted to every aspect of gemstone and jewellery production and trade, inclusive of gemstone and diamond refinery, jewellery design and manufacture, and retailing and exporting finished products around the world. Visitors who would like to witness the manufacturing processes and shop for quality gemstones and jewellery at fair prices in a secure environment can contact Tel: (66-2) 727-022 (21 lines) for complete details.

Warning
Be wary of special “deals” that are offered for one day only or which set you up as a “courier” in which you’re promised big money. Many travellers end up losing big. Shop around and don’t be hasty. Remember: there’re no such thing as a “government sale” or a “factory price” at a gem or jewellery shop; the Thai government does not own or manage any gem or jewellery shops.

Hill-Tribe Crafts
Interesting embroidery, clothing, bags and jewellery from the North can be bought in Bangkok at Narayan Phand, Lan Luang Rd, at branches of the Queen’s Hillcrafts Foundation, and at various tourist ships around town. See Things to Buy in the Bangkok chapter for details.

In Chiang Mai there are ships selling handicrafts all along Thaphae Rd and there is a ship sponsored by missionaries near Prince Royal College. There is a branch of the Queen’s Hillcrafts Foundation in Chiang Rai. It’s worth shopping around for the best prices and bargaining. The all-round best buys of northern hill-tribe crafts are at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar – if you know how to bargain.

Ceramics
Many kinds of hand-thrown pottery, old and new, are available throughout the kingdom. Most well known are the greenish Thai celadon products from the Sukhothai -Si Satchanalai area and Central Thailand’s benjarong or “five colour” style. The latter is based on Chinese patterns while the former is a Thai original that has been imitated throughout China and South- East Asia. Rough, unglazed pottery from the North and North – East can also be very appealing.

Lacquerware
Thailand produces some good lacquerware, much of it made in Myanmar and sold along the northern Myanmar border. Try Mae Sot, Mae Sariang and Mae Sai for the best buys.

Styles available today originated in 11th century Chiang Mai; in 1558 Myanmar’s King Bayinnaung captured a number of Chiang Mai lacquer artisans and brought them to Bago in central Myanmar to establish the incised lacquerware tradition. Lacquer comes from the Melanorrhea usitata tree (not to be confused with “lac”, which comes from an insect), and in its most basic form is mixed with paddy-husk ash to form a light, flexible, waterproof coating over bamboo frames.

To make a lacquerware object, the craftsperson first weaves a bamboo frame. If the item is first-quality, only the frame is bamboo; horse or donkey hairs will be wound round the frame. In lower-quality lacquerware the whole object is made from bamboo. The lacquer is then coated over the framework and allowed to dry. After several days is it sanded down with ash from rice husks, and another coating of lacquer is applied. A high-quality item may have seven layers of lacquer altogether.

The lacquerware is engraved and painted, then polished to remove the paint from everywhere except in the engravings. Multi – coloured lacquerware is produced by repeated engraving, painting and polishing. From start to finish it can take five or six months to produce a high-quality piece of lacquerware, which may have as many as five colours. Flexibility is one characteristic of good lacquerware. A top-quality bowl can have its rim squeezed together until the sides meet without suffering damage. The quality and precision of the engraving is another thing to look for.

Lacquerware is made into bowls, trays, plates, boxes, containers, cups vases and many other everyday items. Octagonal-topped folding tables are another popular lacquerware item.

Nielloware
This art came from Europe via Nakhon Si Thammarat and has been cultivated in Thailand for over 700 years. Engraved silver is inlaid with niello- an alloy of lead, silver, copper and sulphur – to form striking black- and – silver jewellery designs. Nielloware is one of Thailand’s best buys.

Other Crafts
Under Queen Sirikit’s Supplementary Occupations & Related Techniques (SUPPORT) foundation, a number of regional crafts from around Thailand have been successfully revived. Malang thap collages and sculptures are made by the artful cutting and assembling of the metallic, multicoloured wings and carapaces of female wood -boring beetles (Sternocera aequisingnata), harvested after they die at the end of their reproductive cycle between July and September each year. Hailing mostly from the North and North – East, they can nonetheless be found in craft ships all over Thailand.

For “Damascene ware” (known as kram in Thai), gold and silver wire is hammered into a cross- hatched steel surface to create exquisitely patterned bowls and boxes. Look for them in more upscale Bangkok department stores and craft shops.

Yaan lipao is a type of intricately woven basket made from a hardy grass in Southern Thailand. Ever since the Queen and other female members of the royal family began carrying delicate yann lipao purses, they have been a Thai fashion staple. Basketry of this type is most easily found in the Southern provincial capitals, or in Bangkok shops that specialize in regional handicrafts.

Furniture
Rattan and hardwood furniture items are often good buys and can be made to order. Bangkok and Chiang Mai have the best selection of styles and quality. Teak furniture has become relatively scarce and expensive; rosewood is a more reasonable buy.

Fake or Pirated Goods
In Bangkok, Chiang Mai and all the tourist centres, there is black-market street trade in fake designer goods; particularly Benneton pants and sweaters, Lacoste (crocodile) and Palph lauren polo shirts, Levi’s jeans, and Rolex, Dunhill and Cartier watches. Tin-Tin T- Shirts are also big. No -one pretends they’re the real thing, at least not the vendors themselves. The European and American manufacturers are applying heavy pressure on the Asian governments involved to get this stuff off the street, so it may not be around for much longer.

In some cases foreign name brands are legally produced under licence in Thailand and represent good value. A pair of legally produced Levi’s 510s, for example, typically costs US$ 10 from a Thai street vendor, and US$ 30 to US$ 40 in Levi’s home town of San Francisco! Careful examination of the product usually reveals tell- tale characteristics that confirm or deny the item’s legality.

Prerecorded cassette tapes are another illegal bargain in Thailand. The tapes are “pirated”, that is, no royalties are paid to the copyright owners. Average prices are from 25 to 35 Baht per cassette for amazingly up-to-date music. Word has it that these will disappear from the streets, too, under pressure from the US music industry.

In 1991 four of the major tape piraters (including market leaders Peacock and Eagle) agreed to stop producing unlicensed tapes, but only on condition that the police prosecute the myriad smaller companies doing business. As of 1996 it was becoming quite difficult to find pirated tapes anywhere in the country except on Bangkok’s Khao San Rd. Licensed tapes, when available, cost 70 to 110 Baht each (average price 90 Baht); Thai music tapes cost the same.

Other Goods
Bangkok is famous the world over for is street markets – Pratunam, Chatuchak Park, Khlong Toey, Sampeng (Chinatown), Banglamphu and many more – where you’ll find things you never imagined you wanted but once you see, you feel you can’t possibly do without. Even if you don’t want to spend any money, they’re great places to wander around.

For top- end shopping, the two main centres in Bangkok are the areas around the Oriental Hotel off Charoen Krung (New) Rd and the River City shopping complex on the river next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel. At the other end, Thailand’s two big department store chains, Robinson and Central, offer reasonable priced clothing, electronics and houseware at several branches in Bangkok as well as in the larger towns.

WHERE TO SHOP
Shoppers in Bangkok have a wide choice of areas in which to pursue their search for bargains, most of them located within walking distance of major hotels.

One such area, for example, is along Silom and Suriwongse Roads in the vicinity of the Dusit Thani Montien, and Tawana Hotels. This includes Robinson’s department Store, Central Department Store, the Charn Issara Shopping Centre, dozens of silk shop, antique and decorative reproduction shops, boutiques of ready-to-wear women’s clothes, men’s tailors and shops selling leather wear and other goods.

From the Ratchaprasong intersection, near the Meridien President Hotel, it is but a short walk to the Amarin Plaza shopping Centre Department Store in one direction and to Ratchadamri Arcade and Narayana Phand Store in another. Directly opposite Narayana Phand is the world Trade Centre, and enormous complex with two department stores and hundreds of boutiques selling everything imaginable. Also nearby are the upscale Peninsula Arcade and Galleries Lafayette.

Off the Ratchaprasong intersection eastward to Sukhumvit Road stands the Emporium shopping Centre, where brand name clothes and fashionable decorative items are found in attractive and unique style.

Shoppers should not overlook Bangkok’s many department stores, which offer locally made goods as well as designer name brands and feature alluring sales. Twice a year, visitors can take advantage of the month-long Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, which is held throughout Bangkok and other major cities. Watch for the Grand Sale, which takes place in June, and again in mid-November and offers valuable discounts on all kinds of goods.

Also worth visiting are several air-conditioned shopping complexes the offer a wide variety of goods and prices. The Oriental Plaza. In an atmospheric old building houses jewelry and Thai handicrafts as well as clothing and fabrics. River City Shopping Complex, located adjacent to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, has two floors devoted to small shops selling antiques and decorative items as well as a main floor that features exhibits of art, handicrafts, antique furniture, paper products, plants and more, Siam Centre and Siam discovery Centre near the Siam Inter continental Hotel are filled with numerous fashionable boutiques and in the vicinity is Mah Boon Krong.

{add shoping1.jpg} A particular favorite with younger Thais, this teeming emporium contains hundreds of shops as well as the Tokyu Department Store.

As comfortable as these centres are, any serious shopper will also want to explore some of the city’s markets for their colorful atmosphere and generally lower prices, Pratunam, near the Indra Regent Hotel, specializes in ready-to-wear clothing of all kinds. Opposite the Pratunam shopping complex is Nai Lert Market offering a variety of inexpensive trendy products, ranging from hairpins to shoes. Don’t miss the delicious oriental food sold here at very low prices.

Near the Grand palace is Khao San Road filled with clothes, jewellery and accessories popular among the backpackers and younger crowds. Just up from Khao San stands Banglamphu Market, which has authentic Thai goods and contemporary products.

In the older section of town, at the corner of Phahurat and Chakraphet, is the Phahurat cloth Market, where locals go for textile bargains, while Sampheng Lane and Yaowarat, both in Chinatown, have countless shops selling. Gold, jewellery, cooking utensils and other items.

The biggest market of all, and the most fascinating, is the Chatuchak Weekend Market, open on Saturday and Sunday at Chatuchak Park, not far from the Central Plaza Hotel. Here, just about everything Thailand makes or grows is on sale, from blue-and -white porcelain to hybrid orchids, and huge crowds go there to buy or just to enjoy the market atmosphere.

Another much smaller market is the Pat Pong night market that has good souvenirs, but nothing like what’s available a Chatuchak.

The Floating Market, despite the emergence of the ubiquitous farm pick-ups, paddy farmers and orchard gardeners still continue to meet and barter their products in age-old trading sports on the canals (Khlongs). Early every morning, sampans laden with all kinds of tropical fruits and vegetables and fresh products, wind their way to the floating markets around Bangkok. There is one particular floating market in Bangkok that visitors can enjoy: Taling Chan Floating Market is a weekend market in front of Taling Chan District Office, open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Boat trip services are available for sight-seeing along the canal where gardens and a village lifestyle are still to be seen. The market is also accessible by bus No. 79 and 83, which pass nearby. Contact Taling Chan District Office on telephone 424-1742 for more information.

Outside Bangkok, the main city for shopping is Chiang Mai, the unquestioned centre of traditional Thai handicrafts. Visitors can find beautiful sandstone pieces, antiques and more. The Night Bazaar, is a good place to sample the full tange of local products such as cotton, lacquerware, silver hilltribe clothing, Burmese tapestries, painted umbrellas and woodcarvings. While in Chiang Mai, make a point of going to some of how these goods – particularly lacquer, silk, silver and paper umbrellas – are actually made.

Pattaya also has many shops selling Thai goods and a particularly wide selection of precious and semi-precious stones since the popular resort lies near Chanthaburi, where numerous gem mines are located. Hat Yai, a district in Songkhla province in Southern Thailand is home to the Kim Yong Market, Where tax-free electronic goods, dried fruits and clothes are sold at very low prices.

SHOPPING TIPS
Department stores and a number of shops in Bangkok have fixed prices; some department stores will even offer a discount on expensive items like jewelry and fine furniture. No fixed rules can be given on the process, depending as it does on the bargainer’s skill and the shop keeper’s mood, but the final price may be reduced as much as 30 percent to that first quoted. An important point to keep in mind is that Thais admire good manners and a sense of humour and tend to be put off by a loss of temper. Providing you have the time, a good general rule is to make a survey of several shops selling the sort of items you want before coming to a final decision.

PACKING AND SHIPPING SERVICES
Thanks to the ever-increasing number of tourists coming to Thailand. Most shops are experienced at shipping abroad and will attend to all the documents such as insurance, customs and necessary permits. The Central Post Office also offers a parcel-wrapping service for those who want to make small shipments themselves . For larger items or bulk shipments, there are several Bangkok companies who specialize in such matters.

TRADING OPPORTUNITIES

{add Neckties.jpg} The Department of Export promotion (DEP), Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government, offers the “Permanent Exhibition,” a one -stop export showcase where quality products manufactured in Thailand are on display. The exhibition features more than 250 selected exhibitors with more than 10,000 items on display in three exhibition areas. The same services are also available at DEP regional offices.

You can browse to your heart’s content, viewing top quality products ranging from gift item and handicrafts, furniture, toys, leather products, artificial flowers, garments, food products, construction materials, automotive parts, hardware, tools and appliances, stationery and sporting equipment, to name only a handful of the items on hand. All are carefully selected for reliability and a high standard of workmanship.

If you find products that suit your requirements, you may contact the manufacturers directly of DEP staff can provide a variety of services to help make things easy. For example, they will arrange appointments with many companies and also provide meeting rooms with full office facilities. All of the permanent exhibition services are free of charge.

For more information, please contact the Thai Trade Centre or a Commercial Counsellor’s Office at a Royal Thai Embassy in your own country. In Bangkok, contact the Department of Export Promotion on Ratchadaphisek Road. Tel: (66-2) 551-5066-77, Fax: 66-2) 512-1075, (66-2) 513-1917 Telex : 82354 DEPEP TH.

VAT REFUND
Visitor to Thailand can now claim VAT refunds at Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat-Yai and Phuket airports for a minimum purchase of 5,000 Baht with no less than 20,000 Baht/receipt/day. Upon purchase, visitors should request the store to process a Vat refund form (por.por.10) When departing, visitors have the customs stamp the form prior to airline check-in.

When passing through Passport Control, visitors will have the form processed by the Revenue Department and receive a VAT refund. Please note that valuable merchandise such as jewellery, watches, eyeglasses and pens must be declared before customs and revenue officials.

Shopping Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

A typical Thai meal will include soup, a salad, fish and / or meat and of course rice and vegetables. The flavours range from sweet and our to hot and spicy as well as fresh and mild. A Thai meal is a communal affair, during which a group of diners will share several dishes, including steamed white rice. A century ago, meals were eaten by hand, pressing the rice into small round balls. Today a spoon and fork are used for eating rice, with chopsticks being used for Chinese-type noodles.

Thai cuisine combines the best of Chinese and Indian culinary traditions- noodles, curries, sweet and sour dishes, exotic spices and condiments while retaining its own very special character. Thai sweets and desserts tend to be egg or coconut based, and succulent Thai fruits-some 20 major popular kinds, including mangoes, durians, pomelos, bananas, pineapples, grapes, melons-are second to none in quality or choice.

Foreigners may know Tom Yam Kung, a famous, original Thai spicy-sour soup that has for a long time been an export commodity of Thailand. Some people take to Thai food immediately; others find the pungent and spicy test, laden with garlic and chilies, a bit of a challenge.

TASTE OF THE NORTH
Most northern dishes are generally milder than those of other region and patterned by Burmese influence. Rice is always the main dish, with curries being secondary to the meal; but the northern people prefer Khao Nieo, a steamed glutinous rice, kneaded into small balls and used to soak up sauces and dips.

Kaeng Hang Le, is a spicy pork curry that relies on ginger, tamarind, and turmeric; Khao Soi, a curry of eggnoodles and meat that also originated in Burma, is heavily laced with coconut cream, and served with spring onions, pickled cabbage and slices of lime; Nam Phrik Ong, another delectable accompaniment, is a northern-style chili-dip served with dried shredded pork and freshly cooked vegetables; Miang (tea leaves) is also Burmese and is eaten as an hors d’oeuvre. The exclusive method for serving northern food is on a Khan Toke (small circular table). It is normally set up in lavish surroundings. Diners sit on the floor around the table and help themselves to assorted dishes; perhaps a minced meat dish seasoned with chili, a salad, and numerous sauces.

TASTE OF THE NORTHEAST
North-eastern (Isan) food reflects the influence of neighbouring Laos in a number of dishes. Glutinous rice is the staple diet, and all food is highly seasoned. This is supplemented by a heady mixture of strong bitterness and saltiness, creating an excitingly forthright taste locally known as seab.

Som Tom (green papaya salad), is one of north-eastern Thailand’s favourite dished that has became popular nation-wide, and even in Thai restaurants overseas, This is a spicy salad made from raw papaya, dried shrimp, crab, lime juice, garlic and chilies. For the genuine Isan version, Pla Ra, fermented fish, is also added to the dish; Lap, is minced meat, chicken or pork, cooked in heavily seasoned dried chilies; Kai Yang, or grilled chicken, is another dish that is always ordered after the formula of Lap, Nam Tok and Som Tam. Bathed with herbs and sauces, it is eaten with a sweet sauce used as a dip.

TASTE OF THE CENTRAL PLAINSThe central region also has what is termed the ‘Royal Cuisine,’ a more sophisticated version of regional cuisine. Influenced by the kitchens of the Royal court, dishes are elaborately prepared, making it as much an art form as a culinary masterpiece. As the largest agricultural area in the country, rice is an essential element of every meal. Various kinds of curries are used to bring a splash of variety.

Kaeng Phet, or curry, is eaten with rice; Tom Yam, the most frequently ordered dish all over Thailand, is mixed with kung or shrimp, fish and chicken and is flavoured with lemon grass, chilies and kaffir lime leaves; Kaeng Khieo Wan, a spicy green curry with ingredients comprised of coconut milk, sweet basil and chilies; Tom Kha Kai, a thick coconut milk curry made from chicken or meat with lemon grass.

Kaeng Som, a spicy-sour soup with fresh vegetables, shrimps or fish; Kaeng Liang, a traditional herbal, mild and spicy soup with vegetables; Phat Phak, or fried vegetables with oyster sauce, and Phat Prieo Wan, sweet and sour versions, are best known to complement rice and curry; Yam, this spicy salad dish is full of torpedo-shaped chilies, is quite popular and often ordered with a pre-dinner drink; Nam Phrik, the most original Thai dish of all, offers an array of different versions, all incredibly pungent to a foreign nose.

TASTE OF THE SOUTH
The people of the southern peninsula are known for being impetuous. They talk fast and act fast and have a spice and zest for life. Southern cooking seems to reflect these characteristics to a certain extent. Vegetables are taken raw or cooked. The most notable is the large tree-grown bean known as Sato, a bit like garlic because everyone knows when you’ve been eating it!

Kaeng Tai Pla, quite famous among southern curries is cooked from fish kidneys with added vegetables; Kaeng Luang, a yellow curry with fish and bamboo-shoots. If you have agelicate palate, approach this dish with extreme care; Muslim dishes are of course, common in this strongly Islamic region. Khao Mok Kai, exhibits strong Middle Eastern influences with its saffron rice and marinated chicken; Kuai Tieo Khaek, noodle curry, inspires thoughts of India, though it is believed to have originated in the Malay peninsula.

INTERNATIONAL FOOD
Chinese food in Thailand is second to none. European, Mediterranean, Asian and Oriental cuisines are represented in gourmet restaurants. American, English and Continental breakfasts served in most hotels and coffee shops often specialist in European dishes. Western-style fast -food shops, snack bars and ice-cream parlous are fast gaining popularity among Thais.

Chinese food
Thailand is an ideal place for enjoying genuine Chinese food that tastes exactly like that of its country of origin. The Chinese culinary art was first brought to Thailand by the Chinese who migrated to this country in large numbers in the late Ayutthaya period over 200 years ago. As a result of the long history of contact between the two peoples, the Thai and the Chinese cultures are now well mixed in many aspects, including the art of cooking. Chinese food is commonly served in restaurants and hotels in every part of Thailand, especially in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. Indeed, Thailand is the only place outside China (and Taiwan and Hong Kong) that provide tourists with such a wide choice of delicious Chinese dishes.

RESTAURANTS AND FOODSHOPS
{add sea-food.jpg} Food parks, or centers, usually in large shopping malls and hotels, are regular stops for Thais and comprise of numerous restaurants offering every imaginable type of Asian cuisine. Most have color pictures of dishes to assist diners in their choices.

Open-air garden restaurants and riverine restaurants are more peaceful and are favoured in the evenings by most Bangkokians. Menus are extensive, service is prompt and prices are reasonable. All kinds of regional Thai food can be sampled. Special set dinners can be enjoyed on dinner boat cruises on the Chao Phraya River. Gentle breezes. Candlelight dining and tranquil music create a romantic atmosphere.

Seafood restaurants are also popular. They offer a wide choice of fresh ingredients: charcoal grilled or broiled to individual requests and a fine selection of local and imported wines.

Some tourist-oriented restaurants present selected Thai classical and folk dances. Guests sit around low tables, often in traditional surroundings, with teak paneling and floors, classic paintings and precious porcelain. A combination of Thai cuisine, music, silk orchids and graceful dancers are sure to produce a memorable evening.

Where to taste in Bangkok
Finding good Thai, and Chinese dishes in Bangkok, is quite easy. Many Thais like to eat out in ‘food streets’ and this is something that visitors will find every interesting, It is a great experience and the food is tasty and inexpensive.

Yaowarat
Bangkok’s ‘Chinatown’ street houses offer the best Chinese food in the city, both in expensive restaurants and on the cheapest food stalls. Noodles, seafood and at lunchtime, dim-sum dumplings dominate the menus. At night the neon glow from hundreds of hawker stalls electrifies the atmosphere of the streets. Seafood stalls line the pavements and sukiyaki stalls are equally thronged. Birds nest soup is nutritious and always popular with locals and visitors alike. Khao Tom, or boiled rice, is available every night-just waiting for the ‘night owls’ who like to have an early morning snack.

Phahurat
If Yaowarat is Chinatown, then Phahurat is “little India”. A short walk takes you from one food world to the other. The Phahurat area accommodates a number of authentic Indian restaurants, particularly northern Indian cuisine. There are also interesting alternatives serving Punjabi and Pakistani fare.

Sukhumvit
This road has just about everything to offer in the way of food. Starting from Soi 4, (Nana), an enclave of Pakistani and Middle Eastern restaurants fills the Sois (small lanes) with the aroma of spices. Futher up the road, Indian cuisine takes over, with restaurants offering both northern and southern Indian specialities, European restaurants are interspersed offering Italian, French, British, German and Mexican food along both sides of the street. American food is featured in fast-food outlets and in hotels.

Bang Lamphu
Known mostly to foreign back-packers, Thanon Khao San is the place to find the most economical accommodation and guesthouses, visited by folk who know about Bang Lamphu. Most eating places in this area cater for budget-conscious diners. Many quest houses on Khao San road have open-air cafes serving standard Thai and Chinese dishes. Other kinds of food to be found in this area include Indian, Jewish and Muslim.

Silom
One of Bangkok’s major business areas linked with several streets lined with food stalls and leading restaurants. Seafood stalls sprout along the roadside near Saladaeng Intersection after sunset until late into the night. Nearby Convent Road offers everything from Indonesian food to the Gaelic fare of an Irish tavern. At Thanon Thaniya, close to Phat Phong.

Siam Square
The shopping area is crammed with medium to high-priced restaurants as well as international fast food. Economically priced American, European, Italian, Mexican and Chinese food can be found here. Dozens of food stalls sell meatballs, grilled squid, and fried bananas along the walkways that connect the streets.

Dining Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand