Nevertheless, a large portion of the population are undernoureshed.

Gulfman, I'm wondering if you have actually visited Thailand. I've been coming here four years and living in Udon full-time for nearly a year. I have driven thousands of kilometers around Thailand, particularly in Issan which is considered the poorest part of the country.

Many Thais certainly live without many of the conveniences westerners take for granted. However, food is readily available for virtually everyone.

Your statement that a large portion of the population in Thailand is undernourished is simply incorrect.

Not going to say who might be right or wrong here but in 1970 if you drove out in the country you might see quite a few of malnourished kids. As things have progressed I agree that there is less and less of this nowadays.

You know in the west it is more along the greeting lines of what did you do today or how you doin or are you gaving a good day.

I think it is relevant to what your group of society feels is most important to them, or even the social segment you live in. By reading the press for Paris Hilton, the greeting must be whom you were with last night.

To that degree I think Gulfman has a point. Thais always want to know what one ate recently.

lynxlynx wrote:It really amazes me how much attention is paid to the subject of food in the South-Pacific region.

I have always found this an interesting phenomenon. I am baffled at how a 45kg Thai girl can pack so much vegetation and dead animals into such a small frame in a relatively short space of time while her 105kg Michelin man significant other can’t even manage a fraction of what she eats.

My little sweetie has time off this week so this has been our typical day:

9am: “Tee-luk Noi call wants me go breakfast she… Ok mai?” Of course we are not talking corn flakes, Weetabix or coffee and a croissant here but it has to be rice, vegetables and sundry former farm animals! After a few beers the night before I am trying to remember my name and I tell her to go and knock herself out while I go back to my dream involving a Japanese model and a bottle of Johnson’s Baby oil.

12pm: Breakfast for me is 2 Tylenol and a gallon of water.

4pm: Phone call… “Honeee yu Teenai?” (Me) “I’m in the complex just about to go for break, I mean dinner.” She comes to meet me and I have phad grapao moo with a fried egg and she has about 3 plates with noodles, vegetables and a fish with the eyes still gawping at me. I am determined to match her liking of spicy food so I swallow the chillies as I mop the sweat from my face and wipe the tears from my eyes while gulping down bottles of Namthip ice water.

5pm: I feel my stomach rumbling so I go home quickly and regret wearing light beige trousers! My little sweetie goes to see another friend in Centrepoint.

6pm: Light of my life shows up carrying bags of food… Moo ping and kao nee-ow for me and Jaysus knows what for her. I hate to insult her kindness so I tuck in. She devours what used to be someone’s pet and a large portion of vegatation as I slowly chew on my sweet pork and sticky rice. After that she has mango as my stomach screams for mercy.

7pm: I am afraid to fart so I clench my buttocks and hum show tunes. I ponder emailing the CIA as today’s chillies in my phad grapao could be classified as some form of biological weaponry. I sneak a fart and I think to myself that my little tanned darling is probably lucky that she has sinus trouble and she is out of iladin® nasal spray. The mosquitoes flying around the ceiling light fall to their death.

7.45pm: A worrying trend but my little darling finds my stash of Pringles and munches on them whilst watching one of those Thai soaps where they are so good looking I’d sleep with the men!

8.30pm: “Honeee yaak gin nooden!” I look at her in disbelief and wonder where the noodles are going to fit… Maybe she has hollow thighs. She slips on her flip-flops and proceeds to the local McNoodles returning after about 10 minutes with a large bowl of noodles to keep her going as the TV drama unfolds. “You want taste honeee?” She asks… I wonder if my stomach will be available any time before March 2008 so I politely decline.

I’m hoping someone with medical knowledge can tell me where they put all this food!

Sincerely,

Distressed Irishman.

Irish Al

Your post was great!! I especially relate to clenching the buttocks for fear the fart may have substance.

Great stuff, Alan!!!

That was friggin hilarious!! .....see you guys in a week!!

Bamakmak, I have been visiting Thailand for about fifteen years, and have spent four out of the last seven living there. I used the phrase 'undernourished' rather than 'malnourished' to imply that there is little (if any) surplus clinical fat on most rural Thais, as opposed to being near starvation. Nevertheless, I will stand by my supposition that most rural Thais do not appear to have enough to eat. I suppose that it's all relative. Personally I can empathise with Irish Alan!!

My best memories are of eating meals with my wife's family. The best part is the experience of preparing the meal, sharing, fellowship, communication and geting to know one another better. I does not matter what we are having for the meal it is the fellowship. It is a custom for the thai's to invite in a neighbor that is passing by and to share the meal with them. The invitation shows compassion and care.
My favorite the dish is Quit-till ( Spelling ? ) The Thai Rice Noodle soup with the round meat balls.......

the fart may have substance.

That's called a "shart".

that there is little (if any) surplus clinical fat on most rural Thais

Gulfman, that's why I run. (pom wing mak mak )
I could only dream of a BMI like thier's.

Hopefully, with a "rural diet" I can drop my 100 mile times under 22 hours.

Irish Alan wrote;

phad grapao moo with a fried egg

Replace the moo with pla and I'm there! Aroy mak mak loy krap

I agree with BanPaeng,

40 years ago, the diet of most Thais was not nearly as full as it is today. I can remember fishing in thailand (with a net) back in 73 and not getting much more than fingerlings at best. All protein to the TGF at the time.. All went into the big jar, mashed up, salted and finely aged. Today, if you go fishing you'll actually get something you'll know as a fish.. Expansion of fish farming, chickens, pigs, super-rice, encouragement of "self-sufficiency" farming all have led to folks having enough to eat. Now, that doesn't mean most rural Thais are packing Farang sized bodies, they still work hard and probably eat 14-1500 calories a day.. That in my mind is not "undernourished" but being fit with a low body fat percentage..
On rural Thai diet back in the 60's/70's.. Remember, back then roads to rural villages just didn't exist. Government control of many areas was minimal. The ability of the Central government to assist villages in time of flood or drought were also limited. Issan "soul food" of Bla-Tek, insects, and "if it doesn't talk we'll eat it" are reflections on times not so long ago, when total poverty was rampant in Isaan and droughts meant starvation unless the peasant were willing to eat absolutely anything edible. If you're interested in how the peasants lived back not so long ago read "Child of the Northeast" by Khamphun Bunthawi. This is a novel about times back perhaps in the 20's and 30'. There was also a movie done on this book sub-titled in English. A superb illustration of the tribulations and customs of Issan peasant life that was probably quite valid even 35 years ago. You should be able to find it in most of the English language bookshops and it's on Amazon too.

Spot on Frazee. These days, even villiagers from remote areas in issan eat well. Its just that what they eat, being fresh, healthy and low fat food, combined with a physically demanding work environment means a grasshopper would struggle to get fat on there diet. My TW's grandmother is nearly eighty, has worked every day of her life on the farm (and still does), has a physique rivalling a match stick with the wood shaved off, though her health, energy and fitness levels would put me to shame. She could hardly have managed her life like this being "undernourished".

My first trip to Thailand I was always wondering why all the ladies were so worried if I had eaten already...PI does the same. Kind of like "how are you"