If you mentioned Thailand to a westerner say 30 years or so ago, more than
	  likely they would confuse the country with the Chinese Republic on Taiwan.
	  Or, if they even knew the name at all, all it was probably through
	  Hollywood’s slightly libelous version of Thai “history” as portrayed in
	  Anna and the King of Siam. Nowadays, of course, Thailand is known
	  throughout the world, and the reason is the kingdom’s fabulous Thai
	  cuisine. Thai restaurants and foods can be found in almost every nation
	  and are patronized by people who may never have set foot in Southeast
	  Asia or possibly never even left their own.

	So just what is it that makes Thai cuisine special? Most likely it is the
	  combination in each dish of the four basic flavors – sweet, sour, salty
	  and spicy. Over the centuries, Thai cooking has borrowed freely from
	  the culinary arts of China, India and Malaya, blending these different
	  influences to create something that is truly unique. And while Thai
	  food has a reputation for being spicy, in reality most dishes are not.
	  The spiciness varies by region, and central Thai cuisine – the most
	  commonly encountered variety – is probably the least spicy of all.

	Recommended dishes for someone new to Thai food might be gai tawt
	  met mamuang himapan (chicken fried with onions, cashews and mild
	  red peppers), gai haw bai toey (seasoned chicken roasted in pandan leaves),
	  nuea paht nam man hoi (slices of beef cooked in oyster sauce), the famous
	  tom yam goong (a mildly spicy shrimp soup) and mee grawp (crisply fried
	  noodles with a light coating of sugar). These favorites should be available
	  in any proper Thai restaurant anywhere in the world.

	For lunch, a light one dish meal might be preferred, say khao paht goong
	  (fried rice with shrimp) or kweitiou paht Thai (rice noodles stir fried with
	  an egg, tofu and dried shrimp, and garnished with ground peanuts).

	A proper meal when friends gather in Thailand, however, will always include
	  many selections. The more people present, the more the different dishes
	  that will be ordered. Unlike a western dinner, a Thai meal will not be served
	  in courses. There may be a light appetizer, such as baw bia tawt
	  (fried Chinese spring rolls). But the main dishes will probably all arrive at
	  nearly the same time. Diners help themselves by using a large serving
	  spoon to take as much of whatever they want. There will invariably be a
	  soup – like as not tom yang goong, possibly a mild curry made with
	  coconut milk (not ghee as in India), and one or more chicken or fish
	  dishes. A spicy salad may also be included, provided there are enough
	  people to warrant it. Every effort is made to try to balance the meal,
	  both in respect to taste and to visual appearance.
	  (The Thais are great lovers of beauty.) At large gatherings, a common
	  practice is to finish the meal by ordering a huge plate of fried rice to
	  ensure that no one goes away hungry. Soft drinks or fruit juices will
	  probably ordered for the women and children, with the men opting
	  for the ice cold and potent Thai beer.

	Sweets may follow, but desserts are not as commonly ordered in Thailand
	  as in the west. Thai sweets are generally made from some combination
	  of rice and coconut, but the variety is nothing short of amazing.
	  Unfortunately, Thai sweets all do tend to taste a bit alike, and a better
	  choice is a platter of fresh fruit. With its semi-tropical climate, Thailand
	  has some kind of fruit always in season. Oranges are available year
	  round, and Thai pineapples are noted for being among the best in the
	  world. Papayas, oranges and pomelos (sort of a sweet grapefruit) will
	  also be available most of the year, along with more exotic and seasonal
	  fruit such as rambutan, mangosteen and durian.