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Part of what makes Thailand so appealing to expats is Thai cuisine. And it used to be that you could sample it on the cheap through the country’s world-famous street food scene, which for so long has been lauded for its portability and its flavourful offerings. Sadly, a ban on street food beginning in 2014 debilitated a once booming street food scene, with vendors forced out of the sidewalks where they used to serve some of the most scrumptious yet affordable dishes this side of the world. This decision to clear Thailand’s sidewalks and walkways didn’t necessarily ‘kill’ the country’s street food scene, but its impact is far-reaching, having caused a loss of livelihood for many and reduced profits for others. It also means that street food, so accessible everywhere once upon a time, is now a bit more difficult to get, and just a tad pricier as opposed to many years ago. But at least there is a silver lining: You can recreate the street food experience right in the comforts of your home! And the guide below will outline exactly how you can do that. First things first, make sure you have the kitchen tools and equipment commonly used in making Thai street food. In particular, you’ll need a wok, as it is vital to Thai cooking—and in Asian cooking as a whole. That said, the best woks are seasoned cast iron or carbon steel ones, which means they have been warmed, cooled down, and oiled so that dust won’t accumulate on the surface. You’ll also need a mortar and pestle, preferably granite, as you will use it to make different kinds of pastes, like chili paste and green curry paste. An alternative would be to use a food processor or blender, though you’ll be sacrificing flavour if you go that route. That’s because pounding herbs and spices in a mortar lets you extract every bit of flavour, thereby making them more flavourful as compared to cutting them into tiny pieces using a food processor. Another thing you will need is a rice cooker, as some Thai street foods like Khao Kha Moo and Moo Ping are served with rice. The former – pork cooked in soy sauce, sugar, and spices until juicy and tender – is served with ordinary white rice. The latter – grilled pork skewers – often comes with sticky rice. So, it goes without saying that you will need a good rice cooker if you want to try these kinds of street food. Fortunately, the best rice cookers nowadays make cooking rice a breeze. They are also innovative and incredibly multifunctional, with features that are beyond what meets the eye. For instance, there is a keep warm function that will keep your food warm, but not burnt, for hours. There is also a steam option, which is perfect for prepping vegetables—key staples in some Thai street food such as Pad See Ew and Som Tam. Finally, it would be great if you had a grill, as that means you can prepare all-time favourites, like Thai Chicken Satay and Sai Ooah. You can also use it for family barbecues, get-togethers, and special occasions, where you can cook Thai style barbecue. Full Story: https://expatlifeinthailand.com/food-and-drink/recreating-the-street-food-experience-at-home/ -- © Copyright Expat Life in Thailand 2021-05-27 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

The biggest looming threat to Bangkok today are rising sea levels. Climate change is causing global warming. There have been numerous studies that have been conducted about rising sea levels caused by human induced climate change. It was concluded sea level rise is due to manmade climate change. There is no question there is extensive literature about climate change, sea level rise, sustainability and planning for the expected catastrophe. However, there are only a few options written options to counteract sea level rise and no concrete planning for the inevitable catastrophe. Most studies approach this topic from an engineering standpoint, including proposals for sea walls, dikes, groins or jetties, earth berms (or tall mounds of dirt), physical barriers, construction of barrier islands, sand replenishment of affected beaches and other technical options. However, nothing can be found to date that addresses the human side of the equation, the looming problem of moving people or populations away from affected coastal areas. There is no question that the sea level is slowly rising. It will soon pose a grave hazard to the world’s population, commerce and livelihood. It will have a direct impact on earth’s sustainability. Even now there has been serious incidents of flooding, stronger storm surges from large cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons, shoreline and land erosion and other physical problems like seawater encroachment into land based fresh water sources. There is a general scientific consensus that sea levels have been rising at approximately two millimetres per year since 1850 according to scientific measurement and record keeping. During the Pleistocene Epoch some 18,000 years ago, or during the last Ice Age, it is estimated that the sea level was 100 metres lower than in the present time. The sea level has already risen 10-12.5 centimetres in the last 50 years. Recent scientific studies of sea level change have shown that the average increase or rate of rise has been between one – three millimetres/year. It is now estimated that by the year 2070 that sea levels may be 20 – 70 centimetres higher than at present. Some scientific studies have stated that if all the ice melted in Antarctica and Greenland, then sea level would rise by some 75 metres. This side effect is melting glaciers, snowfields and sea ice, so the world’s oceans have been seeing an incremental rise in sea level for hundreds of years. Manmade global warming is a phenomenon that is fueling ocean levels to rise. Due to more heat in the air and the oceans, heated water will expand thus making the problem much worse. In one scientific analysis, it was found that all coastal areas will be heavily impacted by rising sea levels. As the world’s population increases in most non Western countries, urban coastal and adjacent areas will be the centre of those population increases and flows into centres for higher income earning opportunities. This means urban areas are growing as rural areas lose population. Global warming poses further serious risks, and a study by the OECD has estimated that 5.138 million people in Bangkok may be exposed to coastal flooding by 2070, the seventh highest figure among the world’s port cities. Some of the world’s largest or most important low lying seaport cities at great risk will include New York City; Kolkata, India; New Orleans, Louisiana; Miami and Tampa Bay, Florida; Hong Kong and Shanghai, China. Also some low elevation parts of the U.S. like the much of the states of Louisiana and Florida are also at grave risk of being permanently submerged. It is estimated one third of the world’s population lives within 56 kilometres of a coastline. More than one third of the world’s economic infrastructure are concentrated in coastal regions with elevations below 1.5 metres. Scientists have stated that a 0.3 metre sea level rise will push shorelines back about 30 metres. A 1.5 metre sea level rise is estimated to push shorelines back 136 metres. It has also been estimated that in the year 2020 that 65% of the world’s population will live along the coastal margins. Another report states that 20% of the world’s population already lives on coastal areas that might be inundated or changed dramatically if sea levels rise even one metre. Low lying river delta areas with densely packed populations in Bangladesh, Nigeria, China, Malaysia, India, Egypt and Thailand will be at the great risk. The populations of island states are at most immediate risk because of rising sea include the Kiribati, Seychelles, Nauru, the Maldives, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Full Story: https://expatlifeinthailand.com/travel-and-leisure/rising-sea-levels-threaten-bangkok/ -- © Copyright Expat Life in Thailand 2021-05-24 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates