1. By Samantha Ingold, Keeley Levick and Brittney Hyndman.

2. First introductions are made in Bangkok, a modern behemoth of screaming traffic, gleaming shopping centres and international sensibilities interwoven with devout Buddhism.Bangkok First introductions are made in Bangkok, a modern behemoth of screaming traffic, gleaming shopping centres and international sensibilities interwoven with devout Buddhism.Bangkok

5. Agricultural production is focused on 7 major crops—namely rice, tapioca, rubber, maize, sug-arcane, mung beans, and tobacco leaves— which are grown mostly for export purposes. Fifty percent of the country's cultivated land is devoted to planting rice; Thailand continues to be the world's top exporter of rice, exporting 6.8 million tons of its total production of 23.3 million tons in 1999, worth 7.1 billion baht. Based on Bank of Thailand statistics, exports of rubber amounted to 2 million tons worth 43.9 billion baht, while maize amounted to 80.7 thousand tons worth 528 million baht, according to Business Monitor International. Crop production is expected to increase as genetic research on plants improves yields and as cultivated areas are expanded. However, falling global prices and adverse weather conditions are likely to reduce farm incomes.

6. Canned foods constitute the main export earner of this sector, and Thailand is the world's leading exporter of canned pineapple and tuna. Its export growth rate increased by 6.8 percent between 1998 and 1999. This sector has shifted from basic refining to value-adding (increasing the value of a good in the process of production), hence, the biggest growth segments include ready-to-eat meals like canned traditional Thai dishes, processed seafood, and snacks. Though still largely patronized by the domestic market, 2 rice dishes—namely khaolam, a rice dessert baked in bamboo trunks, and krayasart, a sticky rice dessert—are already being sold in China and Japan. Production of ready-to- eat halal food is another avenue to be explored, to tap the regional Islamic market.

8. Thai food caloriesThai food calories is an issue that many people are always dubious about. Well as I said earlier, authentic Thai cuisine is extremely healthy since it includes some healthy cooking methods. It is important to understand that Thai food is healthy for you and can be a part of your healthy diet. Thai food contains some medicinal and low calorie food additives and condiments. Let's have a look at some of the basic Thai food condiments, which also make it easier for me to find answer the very question from where we started - "is Thai food healthy?"