Thai cuisine balances five fundamental flavors — sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy — in every meal. UNESCO has recognized Thai cooking as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Iconic dishes: pad thai (stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp/tofu, peanuts, lime), tom yum goong (hot-sour shrimp soup with lemongrass), tom kha gai (chicken coconut soup), green and red curries (gaeng kiew wan, gaeng phed), massaman curry (mild beef curry with Indian influence — voted #1 dish in the world by CNN), som tam (green papaya salad), khao pad (fried rice), pad krapow moo (stir-fried pork with holy basil), sticky rice with mango (kao niao mamuang). Regional varieties: Northern Thailand (khao soi noodle curry, sai oua sausage, sticky rice), Northeastern Isan (larb meat salad, grilled chicken gai yang), Central Plains (lighter, royal cuisine), Southern Thailand (heaviest use of coconut and chili — gaeng tai pla, massaman). Street food is world-famous, especially in Bangkok's Chinatown (Yaowarat) and Chiang Mai's night markets. Drinks: Thai iced tea (cha yen), Thai iced coffee, Singha and Chang beers, Mekhong rum, fresh coconut water, mango smoothies.