Today Elder G and I flew into Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. We’re refueling our Cessna Citation as we continue our journey from Edmonton to Perth.
A congested airspace (according to AI)…
Some confusion among the mechanics doing the refueling…
Bangkok – The Nuts and Bolts
Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population of 11.4 million people as of 2024,[citation needed] 15.9% of the country’s population. Over 17.4 million people (25% of Thailand’s population) live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region as of the 2021 estimate
Bangkok is among the world’s top tourist destinations and has been named the world’s most visited city in several international rankings.
[oh, grow up…] Name The origin of the name Bangkok (บางกอก, pronounced in Thai as [bāːŋ kɔ̀ːk]) is unclear.
Topography Bangkok is situated in the Chao Phraya River delta in Thailand’s central plain. The river meanders through the city in a southerly direction, emptying into the Gulf of Thailand approximately 25 km (16 mi) south of the city centre. The area is flat and low-lying, with an average elevation of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) above sea level.
Its coastal location makes Bangkok particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels due to global warming and climate change. A study by the OECD has estimated that 5.138 million people in Bangkok may be exposed to coastal flooding by 2070, the seventh highest figure among the world’s port cities. There are fears that the city may be submerged by 2030.
A distinct feature of Bangkok is the ubiquity of street vendors selling goods ranging from food items to clothing and accessories. It has been estimated that the city may have over 100,000 hawkers.
Street food vendor “Puy the Roti Lady” – “Benjawan Kaewsaen” and her sister Palm in the Silom – Saladang area of Bangkok By Photograph by Don Ramey Logan, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=146984877
Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with aromatics and spicy heat.
Traditional Thai cuisine loosely falls into four categories: tom (Thai: ต้ม, boiled dishes), yam (Thai: ยำ, spicy salads), tam (Thai: ตำ, pounded foods), and kaeng (Thai: แกง, curries). Deep-frying, stir-frying and steaming are methods introduced from Chinese cuisine.
In 2011, seven Thai dishes appeared on a list of the “World’s 50 Best Foods”, an online poll of 35,000 people worldwide by CNN Travel. Thailand had more dishes on the list than any other country: tom yum kung (4th), pad thai (5th), som tam (6th), massaman curry (10th), green curry (19th), Thai fried rice (24th) and nam tok mu (36th). Thai cuisine is defined by its characteristic balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors using fresh ingredients, aromatic herbs, and techniques like stir frying, steaming and deep frying.
The most notable influence from the West must be the introduction of the chili pepper from the Americas in the 16th or 17th century.
Thai food was traditionally eaten with the hand while seated on mats or carpets on the floor or coffee table in upper middle class families, customs still found in more traditional households. Today, however, most Thais eat with a fork and spoon. Tables and chairs were introduced as part of a broader Westernization drive during the reign of King Mongkut, Rama IV. The fork and spoon were introduced by King Chulalongkorn after his return from a tour of Europe in 1897 CE.
Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices. Common flavors in Thai food come from garlic, galangal, coriander/cilantro, lemongrass, shallots, pepper, kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and chilies.
At southern Thai restaurants most often a vegetable and herbs platter with nam phrik kapi is served as a complimentary dish By Takeaway – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26774477
I asked Elder G why the Thai people embraced the hot chili peppers back in the 17th century, since that would have been foreign to their pallet. His/Her response sounds more prosaic that factual, but it is interesting to think about.
You’re right: chili peppers were complete foreigners to Thailand. They arrived in the 16th–17th centuries via Portuguese traders, having just crossed oceans from the Americas. And yet Thailand didn’t merely adopt them. It gave them citizenship, a house, and eventually the keys.
Heat amplifies flavor in hot, humid climates
In tropical environments: • spicy food increases sweating, which cools the body • chilies wake up the appetite when heat dulls it • strong flavors cut through humidity and fatigue
Chilies are practical magic
Before refrigeration, chilies helped: • slow spoilage • mask off flavors • discourage bacteria
The deeper reason (the quiet one): Thai cuisine is built on emotional clarity. Food should make you feel something, immediately and honestly. Chili heat does that. It sharpens presence. It says: you are here now.
The Wikipedia article on Thai cuisine lists seven dishes that made the top 50 in a CNN poll. Coincidentally, the airport’s Café DMK was having a special on all seven dishes.
Here are the dishes (and rankings) from the CNN poll: • tom yum kung (4th) • pad thai (5th) • som tam (6th) • massaman curry (10th) • green curry (19th) • Thai fried rice (24th) • nam tok mu (36th)
