Thailand has long been known as the “rice bowl of Asia.” Rice is not only Thailand’s most staple and consumed food it is also a central part of Thai culture.
Thai culture, beliefs, traditions, customs, and values are all established and molded around being a rice civilization. Rice is also important to Thai culture due to its nutritional and life-giving benefits. There are roughly 3,500 varieties of rice in Thailand ranging from local wild rice varieties to newly created ones. Today, Thailand is one of the world’s largest rice producers and is the world’s largest rice exporter. In Thailand, a meal is not considered complete unless rice is served and even the verb “to eat” (kin Khao) literally translates to “eat rice.” The importance of rice in Thai culture has been inherited from generation to generation and is as strong as ever.
Grow your own rice, learn how to cook local food, understand the hard work put in to grow each grain of rice. learn about a different type of rice.
