Top 10 Thai Food

Have you ever tried Thai food? Do you like it? Thai food is one of the things that every foreigner should try when they come to Thailand. At my old school, when we have visitors from other countries we always take them out to eat. We take them to a Thai restaurant to try Thai food and also teach them about table manners too!

Not long ago, the Office of the National Culture Commission announced the top ten Thai dishes best liked by foreigners. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreigner Affairs, the Office had conducted a survey of Thai restaurants all over the world to find out ten favourite Thai dishes of foreigners. In the survey 1,000 Thai restaurant around the world were asked to fill in a questionnaire. However, only 500 restaurants which have Thai chefs and offer the authentic Thai food were qualified for being taken into consideration.

The results were the top ten Thai dishes which are listed below in order of their percentages of popularity:

1. Tom Yam Kung (spicy shrimp soup)
2. Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai (green chicken curry)
3. Phat Thai (fried noodles of Thai style)
4. Phat Kaphrao (meat fried with sweet basils)
5. Kaeng Phet Pet Yang (roast duck curry)  
6. Tom Kha Kai (chicken in coconut soup)
7. Yam Nua (spicy beef salad)
8. Mu or Kai sa-te (roast pork or chicken coated with turmeric)
9. Kai Phat Met Mamuang Himmaphan (chicken fried with cashew nuts)
10. Phanaeng (meat in coconut cream)

http://www.thailandlife.com/

Songkran (Thai New Year)

This national celebration of the tradition Thai New Year captures the imagination of travellers for both its cultural and fun attributes; the latter being enthusiastic bouts of water splashing between friends and relatives.

In Bangkok, the Songkran Grand Celebration will be held between 10 and 15 April around the Rattanakosin Island district, sometimes called  “Old Bangkok.” The main celebrations, in the capital, focus on bathing rites of replicas of revered Buddha images originating from various provinces in the North, South, East and central regions, interspersed with traditional food and dessert-making demonstrations and cultural performances. The opening ceremony will take place, 10 April, at Phra Chetupon Wimol Manklaram or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

There are also important celebrations through the country at various tourist destinations:
• Old City Songkran Festival, Ayutthaya
• Songkran Festival, Chon Buri
• Amazing Songkran, Suphan Buri
• Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, Samut Prakarn
• Songkran Festival, Chiang Mai
• Songkran Festival, Sukhothai
• Fantastic Northeast Songkran, Golden Shower Tree and ‘Kan’ Festival and Sticky Rice Road in Khon Kaen
• Grand Northeast Songkran Festival, Nong Khai
• Songkran Nakhon Phnom and Thai-Lao New Year Celebration
• Hat Yai Midnight Songkran, Songkhla
• Grand Songkran Festival and ‘Nang Dan’ Parade, Nakhon Si Thammarat
• Songkran on the Beach and Phuket Bike Week 2010

http://www.tourismthailand.org/