Thai Restaurants

The Thai government is behind why there are so many Thai food restaurants in the US →

https://www.vice.com/en/article/paxadz/the-surprising-reason-that-there-are-so-many-thai-restaurants-in-america

Culinary Diplomacy is a thing. Related: Pad Thai was invented by the government to do exactly what it did. Supply-induced demand is a thing! You can read a much deeper take on this topic, and Thailand, in this great article.

I love that gastrodiplomacy exists, and I especially appreciate that Thailand is part of it. I get asked “what’s your favorite place you’ve ever visited” all the time. My answer changes, but probably my most common answer is Thailand, and no small part of why I liked it so much is the great, cheap food I had there. I actually slept for a week on the floor of the restaurant/bar pictured below, for free, the only stipulation being that I buy all my food & drink there. It’s probably the greatest agreement I’ve ever made in my life.

Thailand is a special country, and this place was/is a special spot in it.