The Effects of Food on Thai Cultures

To understand and fully appreciate the importance that food plays within a culture, one has only to look at different cultures throughout the world and the culinary differences that exist. Large cultures, sometimes defined as countries or nationalities, often claim to have a national dish; such is the importance of food. In England, it is fish and chips, whereas in Italy the pizza reigns supreme. In China, there are eight schools of cooking that take into consideration the locality of produce and the cultural diversity that exists within a country so large. Thailand is no exception, and food plays an integral role in the culture of the Thais, whether it is from a sociological, economical, or linguistic point of view.

The topic of this report is food and its importance in the cultures of those that live in Thailand. It is necessary to clarify a few issues that need addressing before we delve into the topic. Firstly, it would be inaccurate to talk about ‘Thai culture’. The source of many aspects that are considered as a part of culture are often borrowed, adapted, or a product of evolution from one country to the next. For this reason it is necessary to change our view of what we consider Thai culture so that we are not limited by the stringent rules that we are presented with when we think of a culture that is purely Thai. Furthermore, the area of land that is now known as Thailand contains more than fifty ethnic groups and it would be ludicrous to narrow the scope of this topic by only discussing the ethnic majorities, not to mention unjust. For these reasons, this report will concentrate on all aspects of food, and try to incorporate all cultures contained within the borders of modern Thailand.

This specific topic has been chosen because of the importance that Thais place on their food produce, particularly rice. Rice holds Thailand together just as much as the concept of national unity does, and the Thais have a deep founded respect for this product and those that make it possible to eat it every day. In western society we sometimes take for granted the food that is placed before us; in Thailand this is not the case, children are ingrained with a knowledge and understanding of where their food comes from and the huge importance and history of this food produce.