Thai markets, the china stalls display far fewer plates than bowls. This is not surprising, as bowls are much more appropriate for the two most popular dishes, rice and soup. Soup is eaten from dawn to dusk, on land and water. Pavements are crowded with soup stalls. Soup-vending boats paddle up and down the "klongs" (canals) and bicycles are converted to support mobile food stalls, witch sell everything from, a simple rice soup (Khao Tom) with soya sauce, to gourmet extravaganzas with bergamot, lemon grass, lime juice and chillies, the aromas of soups contribute a special part of everyday Thai life.There are three main types of soups. The first is that royal soup, the "Tom Yam", the most famous version of which, "tom yam gung", is made with prawns. It usually arrives in a charcoal-heated steamboat, which takes pride of place on the table. This is a copper pot with a chimney, and underneath there is a place for red-hot charcoal. "If you happen to possess one, now is the time to impress your guests with it". The soup continues to cook in the bowl surrounding the chimney during the meal. As the large pink prawns are fished out and savoured, the soup reduces, producing a delicious liquid redolent of lemon grass and fresh chillies. tom yam can also be made with pork, beef, chicken or mixed seafood. This gastronomic masterpiece relies on a combination of lime juice, galangal, lemon grass, bergamot and chilli to produce its exquisite flavour. In contrast, "Gaeng jued" is a mild Chinese soup, rather like a consume, with meat and vegetables.

As it is gentle on the palate,  it makes a pleasant accompaniment to spicier dishes. The Thais sometimes add their own flavour to it by using coriander root. The quantity of chilli can be modified according to taste, but it does not take long to get used to that mixture of fire and freshness. It is a pity to do without it altogether; "some marriages are indissoluble"!

"Khao tom", a clear rice soup, is a sort of universal healer. It is a favourite "morning after" remedy following an alcoholic evening, and also soothes stomach upsets, fevers, colds and anything else that entails feeling out-of-sorts. The rice is well cooked in a large quantity of water. Before serving, it can be seasoned with "nam pla", vinegar and or chillies according to taste, and augmented with some meat or poultry.

It seems strange that hot soups should be so satisfying in such a hot country but a great deal of pleasure is gained from sitting around a steaming bowl from which each person serves him or herself, sharing togetherness with the soup. Soups are often served throughout a meal but they can, of course, constitute a meal in themselves, containing meat or fish and vegetables, and eaten with rice or noodles.

The base of most Thai soups is a chicken or pork stock, made in advance and put to one side. In the West, the variety of packaged stocks makes soup a very easy dish to prepare.

"It is rumored that the original Chinese immigrants to Thailand had scarcely more than a little rice to put in their soup. So in order to give some flavour to their meal they sucked pebbles dipped in fish sauce."