Why Almost Every Town In America Has a Thai Restaurant

[@eustache_dauger]

Thai gastro-diplomacy is kinda clever idea for soft power tbh.

[@matheussanthiago9685]

honestly the best kind

[@benzskyeshxc96]

korea has kpop and kdrama abd japan had anime, videogames, food. Damn asia really good at this.

[@ahha6304]

too bad we have a leader who is a mix between Trump and Kim and can't explain what soft power is

[@nitehawk86]

@@benzskyeshxc96 And don't forget ramen noodles, which really came from China.

[@jtgd]

Gas power

[@bjornmu]

In 2012 I ate at the world's northernmost Thai restaurant, located at 78 degrees North in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. And yes the waiter and the chef were indeed from Thailand.

[@papajohnsuk5965]

okay bjorn

[@hedgehog3180]

I wonder if they just secretly hated people and were like "yeah we'll totally do that" so they could move to the most remote location possible.

[@Bayoll]

There's a thai restaurant in Svalbard? Wtf

[@nitehawk86]

@@papajohnsuk5965 Is that like the Swedish version of "ok boomer"? Ok Bjorner.

[@korakys]

Munch is a good name for this topic.

[@BlackTomorrowMusic]

There is a Thai restaurant in the town I grew up in. I've been to plenty of Thai restaurants since then, but nothing beats this place. I used to go in, order something at random, and ALWAYS enjoy the meal. The owner started to recognise me and my wife. And he'd educate us on the best way to enjoy the meal. Eventually, when he took our order, I'd just ask him to surprise me. And he never disappointed. Sometimes, we'd even come in, and he'd have an item that wasn't on the menu that he was experimenting with, and asked if we'd like to order it. Always a great experience. I always make a point to go there when I'm back in town.

[@irishjet2687]

That's an awesome story! I wish I had a restaurant like that.

[@Jenny-tm3cm]

It sounds like he appreciated your business!

[@marvindebot3264]

@@Jenny-tm3cm Thai as a rule are very polite folk who do appreciate loyalty, it's a teaching.

[@someonlinevideos]

Interesting because my home towns Thai is my favorite beyond measure and I love and have tried Thai all over the states. Q the twilight zone music?

[@dougfowler1368]

Interesting, I thought of trying a similar strategy of just asking what was good around the U of Maryland when visiting my best friend from college early this year. It sounds like my idea would have worked. Sadly Staffing shortage mended was closed and we tried another place but hopefully when my friend gets married next summer it will be open and I can try it at one point.

[@MadShenans]

Real talk, I see no losers in this situation; making sure food is super good, sending it all over the world, so people will want to come to the country where the food comes from. Beats an annoying TV ad or underwhelming promotion deal. Eat the food, and if you like it, come visit and eat more, no strings attached!

[@knowkratom]

Most people just go for the hookers but, i guess the food is great too

[@Religious_man]

Oh, but there will always be strings attached. All it takes is 1 little spark to make a huge fire, then you're set for life!

[@lollycopter]

> I see no losers in this situation Would republicans consider this communism though (nevermind the fact that republicans don't mind government money going to big business, etc)?

[@SlapStyleAnims]

@@lollycopter Way to get political dude. Plus corporations have both sides in their pockets, not just republicans:P

[@cteal2018]

@@SlapStyleAnims this got political 30 seconds into the video

[@LividImp]

Our favorite Thai restaurant is owned/run by the sweetest old man you ever met. My wife and I refer to him as our "Thai grandpa". If that is Thailand's doing, I have to thank them for the awesome food and the awesome grandpa.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Awwwww

[@frontporchmint]

Wow, my local Thai eatery has a sweet grandma just like that, she always tells her guest that this business has, “allowed all her babies to achieve their goals”. Speaking of which going to place an order very soon.

[@medusawitchful]

Our government is not that clever. Don't thank them. They done nothing.

[@LividImp]

@@medusawitchful You're taking me far too literal. I'm just being grateful for a man (and his food) that is a welcomed addition to the American melting pot. I don't much care if it is due to a Thai PR campaign or just a organic immigration.

[@Keepintouchthailand]

💖

[@wienerdust1120]

There’s a Thai restaurant in my home town and another one a couple towns over. I was wondering for the longest time why their interior decor and their menus are so similar but now I finally understand; it’s all a government backed program. Who would’ve guessed that…

[@danielduncan6806]

Me.

[@Inaroshi]

I mean....do you question why most chinese places have similar menus? Mexican joints? What about all the diners selling the same chicken noodle soup and greasy burgers? I 100% buy that Thailand has a tourism outreach program, but, it would be ludicrous to attribute all of this to some sort of government control. This is just how restaurants work.

[@oakoakoak2219]

This is like assaying burger joints have similar menu, therefore all burger joint is secret US run black sites

[@jbird4478]

That is simply because people want what they expect, restaurants want to sell to people, so they sell what people expect them to sell. And what people expect is what they see in other restaurants. For that same reason every fast food restaurant looks like every other fast food restaurant, every Chinese restaurant looks like every other Chinese restaurant, and every ice cream stall sells icecream in those goddamn leaky unpractical tasteless cones instead of in a simple practical cup with spoon... because that's what people expect.

[@mattg706]

@@oakoakoak2219 you are onto something there

[@KarlPrytz]

In my home town Gothenburg, Sweden we've got a thai restaurant called Thai Tanic.

[@dominicguye8058]

😂

[@tookitogo]

I lived in a place years ago where there was one called Thai One On. :p

[@raptorfromthe6ix833]

great name

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

I’ve been to 3 countries and eaten in a Thai restaurant called Thai Tanic…. And also Thai Foon (Typhoon)

[@MrChrisayre]

also one in Belfast... double pun!

[@zaphod4245]

Pad Thai came about due to a rice shortage, and since 1kg of rice makes 2kg of rice noodles, the government wanted to encourage people to eat noodles, so created Pad Thai as the national dish to encourage it

[@tuipaopao]

However, traditional noodles seem to be “too Chinese” and not good for nationalist propaganda. So it is fried instead of boiled, and uses chicken and egg instead of pork.

[@jonathanpryzby4029]

Wow I never knew any of this. I feel my brain swelling.

[@TheFirebird123456]

It's brilliant, create a new national dish and then export it all over the world.

[@christianmorris5292]

1 kg of rice makes 2 kg of noodles... Wait

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Plaek Pibulsongkhram, the dictator, had an entire campaign built around it. So every time you eat a delicious bowl of pad thai, thank the Axis powers.

[@ericscavetta2311]

My first experience with Thai food (and Thailand's soft diplomacy) was at Rhode Island's only Thai restaurant in 1988. The amazing flavors were literally life-changing - I learned to speak and read Thai, developed an interest in Buddhism, and then moved there and worked for several years. Of course, the food in Thailand is at a different level from the westernized version often found in the US, UK, and so on. I've found most restaurants cater to western expectations (sweeter, less spicy, more meat, less vegetables, and fewer fresh herbs), but I am occasionally surprised when I find authentic dishes like: Pomelo salad (yam som o), Wonton noodles with red pork & crab (bamee giow nam), Boat noodles (kuay teow reua), Catfish larb (laab pla duk), catfish salad (yam pla duk fu). But I have never found Winged bean salad (yam tua plu) and Crab dry curry (bu pad pong karee) outside of Thailand. I highly recommend eating in Thailand - but it may ruin your expectations for Thai food outside of Thailand... :)

[@rileymccord3777]

I love that food alone prompted you to change your life with a new language and culture, what an enriching experience! I just went to my first Korean supermarket a couple weeks back. Made me want to learn Korean, but I can’t find the time or willpower!!

[@ericscavetta2311]

@@mitzikolo That sounds like an amazing adventure! Enjoy! I haven't visited Australia yet, but have tried Thai food in London which was even more different. In the US, Americanized Thai food tends to be (generally): sweeter, less spicy, more meat, less fresh herbs, less sour, no dried shrimp. Certain dishes are way more popular in the US than in Thailand: Fried spring rolls, Pad Pra Ram (peanut-sauce over something), Pad Thai (which tends to be more brown here than orange in colour). In the US, some ingredients will generally be substituted out (due to cost or availability): Italian brocolli for kailan, carrots and peas for other colourful veges, Italian basil for both Thai basil and Holy basil. Some ingredients just don't exist here, like: winged beans, stinky beans, Thai limes (Our Mexican lime are less sour), and many Asian-tropical fruits. Also, many items are only available canned/tinned, that would be fresh in Thailand, like: Krachai (lesser ginger/rhizome), green peppercorns, bamboo shoots, and so on. When I cook Thai food at home, I have the same issues here, but luckily live near some good SE Asian markets.

[@walter3934]

Today I learned that bakmi and kwetiau is from Thailand.

[@Ned88Man]

I'm from RI, what restaurant was this? Siam Square in Providence?

[@ericscavetta2311]

@@Ned88Man I doubt that it's still there. This was in the late 80s in Warwick, just east of TF Green Airport. If I remember correctly, it was near Sandy Lane and Warwick Ave.

[@whiskeynovember8498]

2 things I learned after living in Thailand: 1- Pad Thai is definitely not the national dish 2- Thai restaurants in the US are not even comparable to the food you'll find in Thailand

[@jittapootowasakun1960]

true, we don’t consider Pad thai as our national dih

[@gangstagummybear3432]

You probably think that because of the cost difference

[@abudabe]

@@gangstagummybear3432 That’s one of the reason but the main reason is that the taste is not accurate enough (except the restaurant owner is Thai)

[@sirisakpansiri233]

@@gangstagummybear3432 Thai government will give "Thai Select" logo recommendation for Thai restaurant worldwide according to their level: Unique, Classic & Authentic.

[@orpheouz]

Pad Thai was promoted by the government after WWII. These days Thais enjoy it occasionally.

[@Belenus3080]

“Don’t just ask for the manager, ask for the prime minister” I’m gonna send a direct letter to the Thai prime minister demanding that my favorite Thai restaurant reopen, because I am very sad that they closed.

[@purifieddrinkingwater3325]

Maybe they scored under 80

[@ErikHare]

Same happened to me. I think this is a genuine international incident.

[@happyelephant5384]

It's definitely because of military junta there. I strongly recommend you to ask your own government to liberate Thailand and happy democratic government will be really grateful and reopen restaurant :)

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

@@ErikHare This requires UN intervention.

[@kyleterry5190]

@@happyelephant5384 you're referring to myanmar bud, but maybe the damn restaurants would open now that their own country is now open

[@cjwhitmore1881]

I wish there was a Thai restaurant within 50 miles of where I grew up. I never had Thai food until I went to college. Hopefully they keep expanding within New Mexico!

[@Verpabobz]

You must be outside Albuquerque, because there are tons of Thai restaurants there.

[@jaysonpower7337]

Shoot them a message, you’ll be a multimillionaire Thai puppet by the end of the week

[@CyrusAhmadiMoghadam]

Not sure where you are, but Thai Cuisine 2 is my go to when I'm in Albuquerque

[@cjwhitmore1881]

@@Verpabobz Yep, Lordsburg down in the southwestern corner. I've been to Thai restaurants in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe metro area as well as the Clovis/Portales and Las Cruces/El Paso areas; but not down here. We've had multiple Chinese restaurants set up shop here in the last 20 years, but they've all closed within 3 years of opening. For anything other than pizza, burgers, tacos, enchiladas, or subs, you have to drive an hour either to Deming or Silver City.

[@AvrahamYairStern]

Breaking Bad State

[@Ninten007]

Normally this kind of government influence comes off super sketchy, but honestly I have nothing but respect to Thailand for this. It’s very clever and rather non-confrontational, albeit a bit propagandist. Though propaganda isn’t inherently bad.

[@Ry_TSG]

Tastiest kind of propaganda

[@curiousfirely]

I have faith that it can happen! I used to work in a tiny village in Ontario, Canada with an excellent Thai Restaurant. This is the town where the grocery store closes at 6pm and the k-8 school needs to pull from 45 mins away to get to it's 300 students. I will cross my fingers for you in New Mexico!

[@tomjg6095]

"Though propaganda isn’t inherently bad." - I'm imagining you saying this between mouths of Thai food 😂

[@jimland4359]

"Please like us, we have delicious food" is a pretty compelling argument.

[@hydroaegis6658]

That's how you know the propaganda is working: when you think propaganda is good.

[@zombieguyproducion]

This is actually pretty genius. And it's definitely worked for soft power. Any Asian restaurant here in Sweden (other than sushi places) are usually refered to as Thai food even if it's not a Thai restaurant

[@one_smol_duck]

That's interesting, Americans do that with the word "Chinese." Though I don't know if that's predominantly because of racist people that think all Asians are Chinese, or predominantly because many restaurants here that bill themselves as "Chinese" serve any dish that could be remotely considered East or Southeast Asian... plus the inevitable pizza and chicken fingers.

[@slomo4672]

I thought Chinese restaurants have conquered every corner of the world 🌎. I can't believe they are called Thai restaurants in your neck of woods.

[@Demosthenes409]

Swedes can be pretty ignorant despite how most of the world perceives them.

[@tubester4567]

In Australia Thai restaurants are everywhere, in every suburb. I have 2 within a 5 minute drive. There are a few Chinese restaurants but they seem to be disappearing. The most common here are Thai, but there are plenty of Vietnamese, Malaysian, Japanese and Indian. You cant find any Asian cuisine here,

[@wegfarir1963]

@@one_smol_duck Little lady, it is not racism. Racism is the belief that one's race is superior, not misidentifying a restaurant.

[@harunsuaidi7349]

As an Indonesian, I think our government should do the same. We have a lot of great dishes. It's time for the world to know Indonesia is more than just Bali.

[@phoenix5054]

We’re literally beside you and know nothing about your food. - A random Filipino

[@rfwillett2424]

There are three Indonesian restaurants I frequent in Perth WA, sadly my favourite which I've been going to for over twenty years recently closed.

[@varo9491]

I always say this! Indonesian food is so good but all the Indonesians in my town just open up Japanese restaurants bc i think since most Americans don't know anything about Indonesia they wouldn't really be able to market it here

[@Patrick2480]

to me most recently Indo is Obama's 2nd home

[@rutgerb]

They should. Luckly I am Dutch so I am no stranger to your great dishes.

[@MyTechFanatic]

Britain kinda did this in Spain. Badly. Instead of a government-backed program, it was Brits moving to Spain and complaining every Sunday that they couldn’t get a Sunday roast, until they could.

[@unicorntulkas]

Germany did the same on Mallorca, long live the Bratwurst, Schnitzel, and beer 🍻

[@d3th2m3rikkka]

Who in their right mind would want to bring British 🤮🤮🤮"food" to a country with perfectly good food?? Hopefully Spain deported them

[@RamblerMan68]

@@d3th2m3rikkka Amen!!!

[@alcabone1126]

@@d3th2m3rikkka look we give them our good seafood(a lot of what is caught in the uk is shipped to other countries) and they get our nightlife/pub tourists. A "fair" deal.

[@KonradofKrakow]

I heard of Polish tourists complaining there was no kiełbasa and vodka ... in Egypt.

[@janedoeYT]

Honestly, neat idea. We should fight with food, not with wars.

[@GreeceUranusPutin]

Then everyone ends up with egg on their face.

[@zhcultivator]

Agreed

[@ObamaoZedong]

If that happened, India would become a global superpower overnight! 😋

[@janedoeYT]

@@ObamaoZedong You know, if that means keeping people feed with good food, I don't think I'd mind that!

[@genuinealloy8316]

@@ObamaoZedong na Indian food is nasty Mexican or Italian is way better

[@SUPERTOMMO]

This is really interesting… though being Thai, I highly doubt our government had ever been this supportive, let alone creative. Could have just been my ignorance, gotta dig more into this.

[@theeraphatsunthornwit6266]

Me too😅 my theory is that. Expat thai just want money.and thai food is delicious and sell well.

[@13gan]

That's quite understandable. Most of the time, government projects went unnoticed because they target specific group for a specific purpose. Just like taxes, you won't know about deductibles unless you pay income taxes. If you're not a senior citizens, you'd likely wouldn't know about special discounts and services for them that's the government provide. Same with this program, which probably fall either under the Tourism Ministry or Foreign Ministry.

[@oakoakoak2219]

Fellow Thai here, This definitely is a thing, though not exactly the way this video describes. What’s happening is basically a form of government assistance subsidy that support and encourage Thai expat to open restaurants

[@thekwoka4707]

@@oakoakoak2219 that is exactly what the video describes.

[@jinxedpenguin]

Yeah, this is 100% real. It’s pretty simplified in the video but soft power is important to a country. Thailand has a clever and relatively lower cost way of doing it. Look at how much cultural power Japan has bought with the anime industry.

[@wilhelmbittrich88]

Well, the program worked.. Thai food is one of the most delicious things I can think of! I love how full of unique flavour every single meal is. And I always go to my same local Thai shop.

[@EclecticDD]

This actually worked on me. I like trying new cuisines and I remember after having Pad Thai for the first time I thought that they added something addictive to it, it is so good. I've been to Thailand 3 times now and can't wait to go back.

[@jittapootowasakun1960]

it’ tamarind sauce 😂

[@thatnekotrapbitch]

I wouldn’t be surprised if they added Walter White’s 99.9% pure stuff in my Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup, because that shit is fire

[@StukovM1g]

Now I'm craving Thai food from the place down the road. Also, are they taking applications for Thai food taste tester?

[@christian_swjy]

This is exactly what the Thai government wants you to do, hahaha.

[@nitehawk86]

Only if you are a robot.

[@OLBastholm]

@@nitehawk86 So you have to fail a captcha to apply?

[@poonavichsangmukda5768]

Let's apply for Thai food taste tester tester?

[@kpp28]

Nah, they already autonomised it

[@PuzzledMonkey]

Seattle has had Thai restaurants for decades. We had one dedicated restaurateur from Thailand who saw it as a way to help her people, and in the '80s and '90s, Seattle was one of the few places you could find Thai food.

[@hiimjustin8826]

Giant U.S. city on the west coast has Asian food restaurant *surprised pikachu*

[@PuzzledMonkey]

@@hiimjustin8826, in the '80s, there was one Thai restaurant in Seattle for every 10 Thai immigrants. That's very much unlike the Vietnamese community, which was much larger at that time.

[@primalreversion7034]

@@hiimjustin8826 Meh, Seattle isn't really giant, it's smaller than Detroit

[@hiimjustin8826]

@@primalreversion7034 I'm glad you don't think major U.S. cities are giant. Thank you for informing me

[@beantreats]

@@hiimjustin8826 725k population isn't "GIANT" in my opinion either there bud

[@tuipaopao]

1:20 In addition to other nationalist propaganda like Pad Thai or nonsensical spelling reform, he also banned Chinese people from learning Chinese and building communities like China town, seized industry from western companies, and he also behaved like another king. He has his own flags, his own anthem, his own motto (Believe in the leader, The nation will be saved from danger; เชื่อผู้นำ ชาติพ้นภัย) and his own animal (rooster) that must be worshipped every morning, in addition to national anthem and flag which he also brought up. He is hated among the National Assembly to the point that he had to swim for his life after failed assassination on the navy boat. This man’s life is crazy.

[@LadyAnuB]

Another crazy monarch? "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

[@thastayapongsak4422]

He is a fascist. Back then the only faction were monarchist and republican. His split with his socialist buddy Pridi came later in his political life.

[@sm3675]

@@thastayapongsak4422 what,!,!

[@harukrentz435]

@@sm3675 thai sided with Japan but when it seemed that the allies was about to win the war they switched side. This is how they escaped colonialism unlike their SEA neighbours.

[@yuanjv]

oof Ordinary politician's background

[@VeeVeerawat]

Pad Thai was created during WW II when food were scarce, animal protein like chicken, pork were super expensive. The government then create a recipe that used the broken rice that nobody wanted turned them into rice noodle. Add some beansprout, tofu, whatever veggie one can find, tamarind source, fish source, palm sugar, stir-fried everything and boom Thai national dish was created.

[@slomo4672]

chop suey, name of the omnipresent Chinese dish in the US means what you describe, miscellaneous leftover thrown together, albeit the Chinese version. But I have not seen it in the San Francisco bay area which is a good thing. Chinese restaurants started in the US after Chinese railroad workers after the cross continental railroad was completed. I guess they were not chefs and couldn't cook. Chop suey was all they could whip together initially.

[@sunnesunne4039]

Thai is essentially Australia's unofficial national cuisine and it has been that way for well over a decade, if not even longer ..... definitely not just a US phenomenon.

[@tubester4567]

Right, there are heaps.

[@iROChakri]

That's because it's cheaper to go to Australai than it is to America. Given that Thai food is the best, ofc it would spread like a wild fire in Australia where many Thai immigrants live.

[@MyBelch]

Yes, it's spelled out clearly in the video at 3:28.

[@widespirit7648]

This makes me remember about the Pyongyang restaurant chain. I know there are certain differences between these two things, but this just reminds me of that

[@TheFirebird123456]

Lots of differences. In the restaurant business it would sole control of a chain vs a franchisee model.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Pyongyang restaurant. Sounds like a place where you are required to leave hungry.

[@soundscape26]

I remembered that same video while I was watching this one... though obviously the purpose and scope of both are very different.

[@TonyHammitt]

This was eye-opening and awesome! I think I've been to both lower-end kinds of Thai restaurants here in town, the cheap one needs its robot overhauled.. The mid-priced one is really great though, in my opinion. I'm fairly cool with the Thai government encouraging business to promote their national image, at least it's not mean-spirited. And the food is good.

[@David-di5bo]

That was the most half interesting video you've put out in a long time, really fascinating

[@hifuncautismboi2350]

Half = 50%, seems a little low, how about we give it a bit girthier 52%

[@frzstat]

Thai food was very popular in larger U.S. cities before 2002. Sam may have a point that the number increased after that, but Thai cuisine was well established by 2002.

[@heehokuzunoha7757]

Every non Thai person in the US has had the same experience with Thai food. Try Pad Thai, fall in love with it, try some of the other things on the menu and realize that drunken noodles and coconut curry are way better.

[@Blockio1999]

Is it just me going crazy or were there an unusually large amount of words this time with a sound in it that could easily be made into a thai pun? "More than ten thaimes as many Thai restaurants", "turning foreigner's stomaches into thainy Thai embassies", "they couldn't do this enthairely on their own", etc

[@lagautmd]

I think it's just you, but that doesn't mean you are wrong. 👍

[@MuhammedGemci]

You need to be hired.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

The puns are actually also part of Thailand's cultural diplomacy program. It's subliminal messaging; every thai-me you think of those words it'll be thai-ed back to the thought of Thailand.

[@svenmorgenstern9506]

About thaime someone noticed. 😁

[@ファング]

This is gold 😂

[@taylormcgaughey6638]

This honestly worked for me. After college I wanted to go backpacking in Southeast Asia and I chose Thailand because I was familiar with the food.

[@bakubakumusic7351]

I am American and Thai is probably my favorite food other than Mexican, BBQ, and Tex-Mex. I never imagined that I was being unwittingly pulled in by food diplomacy. I don't mind though, Pad Kee Mow is the perfect food in cold Minnesota winter, or after a night out.

[@bob808]

There are A LOT of Thai places here in Sydney too. Growing up, Chinese takeaway was the 'go to' on weekends, but that has definitely switched to Thai (for me at least) as the quality & taste is much better!

[@blackmoth2595]

i love Thai culture and cuisine! Thai people also so kind during my visit to Bangkok and Chiang Rai in 2019. I'm looking foward to the end of this pandemic era and start a new journey to Ayuttaya and Chiang Mai

[@briantgross]

This is super interesting. I live in Colorado and own some land in Southern Colorado, specifically Costilla County. This area is much more demographically Latino than where I live (Denver Area). It is also fairly rural and agricultural. Once when visiting my land I noticed in the small town of several hundred people there were only two restaurants, a pizza place, and a Thai place, which made no sense to me. We ate at the Thai place because it was the only one open but I never understood why it was there in the first place.

[@NANICU]

When it comes to punching above its weight, no other cuisine does so more than Thai. The flavours and textures are so unique; no other cuisine can you find sweet, sour, spicy, smooth and crunchy all from the same dish and in the same mouthful.

[@lizzquain]

Thailand has one of the best cuisines in the world. I've traveled to over 45 countries and visited Thailand at least four times. That's another reason Thai restaurants are everywhere as people love the food. Great that the Thai government had this cultural program. The South Korean government has done this too, encouraging and investing in pop culture ie music, dramas, movie production etc.

[@ovh992]

Hereis something to contemplate: has anyone ever eaten at a bad thai restaurant? I have eaten in over 100 thai restaurants all over the USA and all over the world and i can honestly say that the answer is no. I have had bad Mexican food, bad fried chicken, bad Italian, bad hamburgers, and bad chinese food of course. But bad thai food? Never! Maybe this thai government program is why!

[@one_smol_duck]

Yes, actually. I've tried a ton of Thai restaurants in Philadelphia over the last few years. I found a handful of mediocre shops and a few that were just plain bad. In fairness, I tried them all during the pandemic, so it's possible the quality was reduced due to supply chain issues or something. I was also getting everything delivered for that reason, so that could play into it. All of that being said, if you're ever in Philly and looking for a good Thai spot, stop by Turbo Thai. 100/10 best food I've had in my life.

[@AbsolXGuardian]

How most countries increase soft power abroad: *promote dependence on them economically* How Thailand increases soft power abroad: *sells you good food so you like them*

[@StuffandThings_]

To be fair this seems like a great win-win situation for everyone involved. What a brilliant idea.

[@panemetcircenses510]

How refreshing, the projection of soft power through tasty food instead of online trolls and bots. I'm gonna visit my local Thai joint after I recover from Christmas.

[@paulyiustravelogue]

There was an Ethiopian restaurant in Tucson, AZ in the early 2000’s, just not sure if it is still there. Speaking of Thai restaurant, I am surprised to find one in Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik. The food there is spicy and quite satisfying.

[@sgill4833]

I'm so happy they did this. I love Thai food 😋

[@lemagnifique1573]

Thailand did a smart job for promoting the tourism by their gastro-diplomacy, hopefully we can do the same

[@emanuelmartinez2597]

I only discovered this Thai restaurant when my brother lived in Wichita and just a couple blocks away was a couple of restaurants. I took a chance on the Thai place and it was so so delicious.

[@danielduncan6806]

You saying it is delicious is not really saying much. Considering a machine agrees with you. Just saying.

[@emanuelmartinez2597]

@@danielduncan6806 I haven't ate there too many times, plus I got the Pad Thai and these Spring Rolls so kind of basic as far as Thai dishes go.

[@chompythebeast]

@@danielduncan6806 Are you mad about Thai food or something? You think using computers to gauge quality and consistency, a common practice, is somehow damning? Can you not handle a 2 star dish or something?

[@syrialak101]

@@chompythebeast Homie's a Yelp reviewer.

[@robertescher3082]

Interestingly enough... Seattle has had good Thai restaurants for over 40 years... so, much longer than this program. I think we might need to look into Viet Nam because I see WAY more new Pho places than Thai places these days... :)

[@kimyona9746]

I live in OC, CA. There are a ton of vietnamese restaurants here. Most made by immigrants. Very authentic due to the bunches of vietnamese markets lol.

[@DavidBrown-mt7wl]

A lot of people fled south Vietnam to the US following the Vietnam war, and vietnamese immigration has continued to some extent, often to reunite with family members.

[@Xerxezkov]

That's probably due to the large influx of Vietnamese immigrants into the US. As far as I've known, our gov doesn't have such promotion for restaurants.

[@iROChakri]

Again, Vietnamese restaurants have increased proportionately to Vietnamese immigrants. Thai restaurants, on the other hand, are very unique. The food is good that they don't need Thai immigrants to run the restaurants. Many non Thai people do actually run Thai restaurants.

[@QueenXKnit]

Wow, that’s incredible 😭😱 I mean its absolutely working, Ii added Thailand as my next country to visit based on Thai food only😭😭

[@TheBLGL]

Funny thing is, this is done in Bangkok on Khao San Road (the tourist area) 😂. Had the worst, most British pad Thai of my life there cause I was starving and didn’t wanna wait to eat elsewhere due to Bangkok traffic. I also had a great green papaya salad and raw shrimp and pomelo salad just a few blocks walking away, though. Also, this is sorta creepy, cause the Thai restaurant I went to before ever living in SE Asia was in New Mexico, and they had “New Mexico spicy” vs “Thai spicy” options. Because New Mexican food is spicier than a lot of US for but not birds eye chile spicy. Scarily accurate that they researched that.

[@kopzz]

Being Thai myself and also living in the US… I never know any of this (although, I did feel a bit weird that there are way too many Thai restaurants in the US so that is why).

[@XxXenosxX]

Now I'll be having Thai for dinner. Thanks for the videos as always, keep up the great work!

[@kirstenmcintosh5899]

This year, my celiac self is thankful for the Thai government for supplying me with gluten free food. (And delicious gluten free food, not just a salad.)

[@MonkeyJedi99]

I don't have food allergies, so I never put a lot of thought into the issue, but it is awesome that good tasting food is a solid alternative to people who do have such allergies.

[@bananawitchcraft]

I'm very lactose and gluten intolerant, and I also can't stomach eating meat, so my dietary options are quite limited. A lot of Asian foods are like a godsend for me. But for instance German food would be really problematic

[@tardvandecluntproductions1278]

In the Netherlands its Chinese. Though they are that only by name as they make a lot of (westernized) Asian cuisine. The country never had much of getting food outside culture and only their very cheap prices could make the first change.

[@DecoAoreste]

Chin. Ind. Spec. Rest :D

[@MikeThePenguin]

Plus every town as at least one, and some villages even have one. Besides the normal Cafetaria it's the biggest type of restaurant.

[@bastiaan4129]

We also have government Thai restaurants in the Netherlands. Our Thai restaurant opened in 2004 and their website says they got the "thai select logo" from the department of export promotions.

[@juch3]

I felt like Chinese is the case in most countries, not because there was a systemized effort by the Chinese government or there actually might be, but that effort predates the fact that Chinese people were already everywhere.

[@thekrakenrises9040]

@@DecoAoreste what does that mean?

[@emilyb2273]

Considering Thai is my favorite type of cuisine, my serotonin has peaked

[@badguymonologue]

3:32 fly on the food. Super authentic.

[@Marngel]

There’s two Thai restaurants within two miles from my house, and I always found it odd because I only know a couple of Thai people in my area

[@gj1234567899999]

I think there is actually more nuanced than this program. I bet a lot of “Thai” restaurants actually have Chinese owners because Chinese restaurants became saturated, and the Chinese know people want to try different food.

[@iROChakri]

@@gj1234567899999 Not just Thai, Thai food is just the most delicious food out there lol

[@ktoadispatch1539]

Who saw the fly land on the serving spoon at 3:35? Now that's authentic!

[@MichaelSteeves]

In 1992 we drove for 2 hours in order to eat at a Thai restaurant. Now we have 4 or 5 of them in town, at all 3 levels.

[@DynamicalisBlue]

The National Thai Cookbook that was introduced to the public in the 1940s was an amazing idea and something other nations could have greatly benefited from. It: - standardised all common dishes to a fairly decent standard. - had recipes that incorporated abundant local ingredients. - diversified ingredients to prevent food shortages ever having a serious impact. - it made other regions of Thailand aware of other regions food. Noodle dishes for example DID exist in Thailand before the 1940s. But it was primarily exclusive to regions with Chinese ancestry, the South and the very North. This Cookbook just made other regions aware of them.

[@zerentheunskilled]

I for one support this. I like tasting food from around the world and in my little town I doubt we would have got the Thai place we have now if it wasn't for this program.

[@pacoramirez7363]

Well this explanation really Thais things together.

[@fallenolympian9860]

Next video: "how Thailand took over the United States over night"

[@birdstudios978]

Lol

[@mastermind2032]

I hope they do. Cheap noodle stands and red light districts.

[@mikes4163]

What? So they can face off against Russia? They are better off subtly promoting tourism. Let the fools spend billions on weapons.

[@birdstudios978]

@@mikes4163 it’s a joke

[@mikes4163]

@@birdstudios978 I know. In fact I'm not sure the whole video isn't a joke 😀

[@AhmetwithaT]

If other countries pull their ambassador's when relations sour, does Thailand shut down their restaurants?

[@LtZetarn]

Thai restaurants almost all of them is family owned. They only got support from thailand in the form of quality controls because if the food taste bad, it might effected the opinion to all thais as a whole.

[@PakkaponPhongtawee]

Actually, it already happened in the Pochentong incident. (2003 Phnom Penh riots , if you search in Wikipedia). Every Thai business in Cambodia is shut down and the Thai government issues an emergency evacuation. Almost every Thai people flee back to Thailand for their safety.

[@lynnanderson8062]

For me, Thai has replaced Chinese. The Chinese buffet has destroyed quality and narrowed the menu range. Thai has generally maintained quality, although I have noted some recent slippage.

[@Flk0217]

There is a restaurant named Cool Basil two miles from my house that has opened within the last 20 years and looks exactly like the one pictured. Same price range too.

[@patrickjarvis631]

Omg there is absolutely one of these in my town! It's even named "basil" lol

[@carultch]

Is it Thai Basil in Cocoa Beach Florida?

[@patrickjarvis631]

@@carultch haha the fact that it's not really proves the point!

[@icyblue1000]

That's because the real de facto national dish is "Thai Basil with Jasmine Rice topped with Sunny-Side Up Egg". You can ask any Thai and they would say it's true. It's our everyday food.

[@Envido32]

This was one of the most interesting and fun empisodes of this channel, Cudos

[@shess2000]

This is by far the most interesting channel on KZbin. We love your wendover!

[@tryxdc]

who? :)

[@RandomDude10000]

Ironic that the channel is named half as interesting.

[@GreeceUranusPutin]

@@RandomDude10000 It's actually pronounced 'half-ass' interesting.

[@floorgle]

I think you are mistaken, this is Sam from Half as Interesting, not Sam from Wendover Productions, its a very easy mistake don’t worry

[@crw662]

I have lived in two states and have travelled to almost every town in both of them and have never seen a Thai restaurant. I’m sure they exist in bigger cities but definitely not in small towns.

[@bigj3508]

Well I can attest to the fact that this plan is working. Every Thai restaurant I've ever eaten at from the Netherlands, to Texas and California has had good food.

[@jd43]

I just had a nice dinner at a golden leaf Thai restaurant a few days ago. 10/10

[@trainszelda3076]

Strange fact the king of Thailand at the time Siam tried to gift Abe Lincoln an elephant 🐘 during the civil war

[@highcouncil1302]

That actually a myth the King of Siam did indeed offer to give outgoing president James Buchanan Beast of Burden

[@nitehawk86]

We could have had elephant cavalry in the civil war, people! Instead we got metal boats that couldn't do enough damage to sink each other.

[@trainszelda3076]

@@highcouncil1302 oh cool that’s makes more interesting

[@kevinxu3892]

Huh interesting! I thought similar to Japanese restaurants in America, that the large number of Thai restaurants with little or no Thai community were lots of Chinese restaurant owners pivoting to a food genre that was considered higher end, like Chinese run teriyaki and sushi places in middle of nowhere PA

[@frontporchmint]

I love my local Thai eatery, and so do alot of other people. Been kicking since 1979!

[@nathanloomis7508]

I have noticed that in my part of the US we went from every town having a Chinese restaurant to now where every town has both a Chinese and a Thai restaurant. It all makes sense now.

[@yuanjv]

oof

[@kittananj]

I'm here before Thais raided this video... (as a Thai). BTW, I knew that Siam is really hard to read. Easiest way to read it is "Sa-Yaam"

[@tagorenakornchai7949]

My two favourite Thai restaurants in London are very unique - one (Esarn Kheaw, Shepherd's Bush) is run by a Thai couple and has been open since the 1980s. The other (Som Saa, Shoreditch)is run by a White British guy and has been open since 2016. I feel they both capture the real "taste" of Thai food better than the various Ministry of Tourism -sponsored restaurants (i.e. they're much less catered towards Western tastes), and both do a lot of the regional or less high-cuisine dishes that the Thai government is less keen on promoting (I've had Hat Yai Fried chicken, Pad Pak in a Thai restaurant was at Som Saa).

[@Kas_Styles]

I have a Thai restaurant within walking distance of where I live and it’s good. I love their chicken sauté. Chicken on a stick with peanut sauce. So good. Yum.

[@adamd1383]

The Thai ambassador to the US was in Pittsburgh for a summit a few years back. He called Silk Elephant the most authentic Thai food in the US. Food for thought.

[@tiffanymcdonald7195]

Thailand so real for this. Like honestly, I don’t know anyone who would even think of this. Kinda genius tbh

[@uhmnope4787]

There's been an amazing Thai restaurant near me for decades now and ever since opening, it's remained very popular even during covid. Fantastic cooking. Taking 4 friends there this winter break, actually. I'm spreading the governmental initiative lol. The restaurant is very authentic tho. It's much older than 20 years too.

[@iROChakri]

Government supported or not, if a restaurant provides good food, it will strives. Otherwise, close down.

[@daniel_poore]

I was always wondering why my small town has like 5 thai resturants.... Now i feel like i need to check out their menus and see which resturant " package" they all fall into.

[@mikexstad1121]

This kind of blew my mind. I live next to two of them... literally across the street from each other. It funny I see the restaurants everywhere but never really met a thai person in Minnesota.

[@dominicguye8058]

I think I have but still

[@gooffie29]

There are hundreds of Thai people living in Minnesota. There is a Thai food festival every year.. and some kind of food markets at the Thai temple during summer.

[@youraftermyrobotbee]

It's funny, my local Thai place isn't actually run by Thai people, but Hmong people, and they actually have a couple of Hmong dishes on their menu. (If you've never had Hmong sausage with Hmong pepper? You're missing out.)

[@peterhessedal8539]

Funny. My wife is from Thailand and for a time she worked as a server at several local Thai restaurants. All of them were actually owned and operated by people from Laos.

[@Patrick2480]

Just like the sorta "authentic" Japanese/sushi restaurants in my area are actually run by Koreans.

[@si91]

Laos is just Northern Thailand, taken from them by the French.

[@NattapolPhorueng]

@@si91 -*- Laos is Lanchang acctually under control by Siam befor colonize came, the nothern thie have own state called Lanna, Northeast aka Isan is buffer state of Siam and Lanchang since state eara it was up to what is the king on that's state oing to under control with it's such like a mafia state something in that's period acctually their have some Tai state in the pass 1. Lanchang(Lao nowadays their have they own seperate state into Lungprabang (chaing thong), Viengchan aka Viantian, and Champasak) 2.Chaingrung aka Jinghong(Xibxongbanna) in China 3. Chaingtung aka kengtung (Shan state in Myanmar their have many city as well) 4. Lanna aka Chaingmai (the northern of Thailand in clude freedom state of Phere and Nan state that's not under Lanna in thats time) 5. Ayudthaya aka Siam or Thailand (Ayuthaya acctually united of MON Khom and Tai... Since Siam era , Siam is fully control by Tai Dynasty [in the term of people and culture are mixed]) this is the reason why Siam empire try hard to merge all of Tai state into Siam before colonize came till Japanese came to Siam on WW II [included SAPA in northern Vietnam of Taidum aka Lao soung group since Japan was came]) OK. back to the food! Issan and Laos nowadays very get close, mostly of Laos refugee are dont' accepted the comunist and going to 3rd country like as the US, ans many of them still living in Issan (the northeast of Thailand) and their menu very samilar, even before the comunist war the dynas of Laos and Thais very get close and we are the same root, I didn't surprise that's Laos can be done of Thais menu. especailly In Thailand Issan aka Laos food get famous in Thailand as well

[@leonhill8447]

Wow, this was more than half of interesting. This was 100% interesting. Also I want some Thai food now.

[@gearloose703]

Also I can't believe a word he said. I mean seriously, did they do this? And yes, thai restaurants are everywhere, even more than chinese restaurants. But did china just copy their thing or what is going on?

[@ericw.1620]

If you want a more in depth video on pad Thai specifically, check out the video titled "How a Dictator Invented Pad Thai" by My Name is Andong. Really great deep dive into this super interesting topic!

[@MervynPartin]

Our local Thai restaurant in UK was excellent, and we were always made welcome. Unfortunately the owner/manager went back to Thailand to run the family restaurant there. We were heartbroken, but we managed to find one in another nearby town where we were also made welcome, even if it means extra travel. We also found a good one in New Zealand, and that did mean a lot of extra travel. Regrettably, I've only changed flights in Bangkok so never had the chance to visit a restaurant actually in Thailand.

[@JaredJonesAZ]

A Thai restaurant opened near me in the height of the pandemic. They did no advertising, have extremely restricted hours, And you're not even allowed to enter the building. That being said the place has become amongst the most popular restaurants in the area. The food is amongst the best I've had, Thai or whatever. I don't know how they were able to shoulder such a risk unless they're backed by deep pockets. The fact that it may be run by experts under a government program actually makes a lot of sense.

[@iROChakri]

You just said it, the food is amongst the best you've had. Thta's why they know there will always get customers to dine in or take out. Any restaurants that server delicious food and they know it ... dont kiss asses. They make their own rules lol

[@randomcurrypuff6237]

As a Thai myself I find it hard to believe my government is this smart. I don’t even know how they’re capable of this genius scheme when there’s military coup like every 10 years.

[@Vandyke0147]

Hard to believe our government (not military junta for sure) to be this smart . I’m dead 🤣🤣

[@yuanjv]

lol

[@11324atafrbrgrdbted]

Next video on Wendover: The logistics of taking of changing a whole country’s identity.

[@danielduncan6806]

Taking, or changing? Which one? They are different.

[@BDBestB]

Changing country's identity like McDonalds , KFC , BurgerKing?

[@darkbrightnorth]

Companies being somewhat loyal, as a Canadian this is shocking because almost every company Export Development Canada has every helped to success is now abusing loopholes in Canadian tax law or makes US business a bigger commitment than the business in their own country.

[@gj1234567899999]

Interesting that in Canada they feel the need to screw over their own country in order to achieve scale in the bigger US market, but in the US it’s the same thing with US companies screwing over their countrymen in order to make money in China.

[@punchdrunkassassin]

We have so few companies here in Canada now that are actually Canadian owned, and that's sad. Especially ones that play on our national identity, like Tim's and HBC (though HBC might be back to Canadian owned now? I can't keep up). Though I get they're just chasing that bag, it's really frustrating how often it happens that we help them grow then they drop us for other countries in some way or another.

[@RpMTarTar]

As a Thai, This is accurate, My Aunt Lives in America and has a Thai Restaurant in the US. I also ask her and she said that this is Accurate.

[@Lazurath101]

Could you explain a bit more? Does she get government help from Thailand?

[@kiabvaj5656]

I know several Thai restaurants and none of them are owned by Thai people, and none of them have any connection to the Thai government.

[@loveace2430]

My hometown has a great Thai restaurant, and I miss it a lot, honestly.

[@pasutto-ying847]

I’m Thai, but I don’t even know government has a controlled in food quality. I think it’s more because of Thai culture are more related to food that when Thai people immigrate to other countries, they open the restaurant there. We always miss Thai food when we go aboard.

[@pasutto-ying847]

But it’s true about Pad Thai

[@albertbatfinder5240]

I used to wonder if there were any chefs remaining back in Thailand and whether the Thai population were forced to go to McDonalds. But seriously, one Government policy that would benefit every ethnic restaurant would be if the origin country gave chefs and staff a free holiday once a year back home. National cuisines “drift” when they leave their home shores, generally for the worse. A regular refresher about authentic ingredients and techniques would do wonders.

[@Gris-ko5nd]

Thai people, whether male or female Most everyone can cook. low-end stores in Thailand Most of the housewives just want to open it. And of course, most of them taste great. Therefore, our chefs will never run out. And our country never forces us to enter a restaurant, haha.

[@MayTheSchwartzBeWithYou]

Authentic doesn't necessarily mean better. Food, like all culture, has always been in a state of fluctuation and evolution. Otherwise, we'd all be eating woolly mammoth and making crude cave paintings. Change is natural and normal. And logistically, flying tens of thousands of people back for a couple days is a horribly inefficient use of capital (not to mention opportunity cost). Also, what works in Thailand doesn't necessarily work abroad, because the available foods vary throughout the world. Also, it even mentioned in the video that they specifically go out of their way to adjust the food to accommodate local tastes. Pure authenticity (and again, as the video mentioned, "Thai cuisine" is itself a historically recent artificial invention) was never the point-political diplomacy is.

[@jo09oi]

@@MayTheSchwartzBeWithYou Some thai cuisine are recently created like pad thai to be exact. Not all thai cusine.

[@planefan082]

I wish this was how all countries went about foreign relations. The world would be a better place lol

[@pauldoutre541]

Pyongyang restaurant chain owned by North Korea kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXeohJ-ontSGb9U

[@punchdrunkassassin]

Canada already discovered and exploited this loophole - we got in with maple syrup, then sneak attacked with Nickelback.

[@sam-rs8wg]

I’ve never been so okay with being lied to so aggressively

[@stuffedgrubs]

3:35 ahh the local cuisine of sweet Thai fly...... Obviously you've got to be authentic 😂😂

[@10sDPR]

There's a great documentary about this but with Chinese restaurants in America called The Search for General Tso. I even showed it to my Chinese university students and they seemed to like it, too.