Ever imagined what it would be like if you were forced to one day leave your homeland and migrate to another country? Where would you settle and what would you do? The people living in the Chiang Kwang region of Laos were faced with this same predicament some 240 years ago, a time in which borders were hard to define across the Southeast Asian region. Obviously, moving between Thailand and Laos, two neighboring countries, didn’t require passing through immigration, filling in forms or handing over cash. The priority at that time was simply to settle in an area naturally rich in resources. Having a familiar language, cuisine and culture were all a bonus…

From Laos to Thailand, or more specifically, from Chiang Kwang to Nakorn Nayok, the Tai Puan people brought with them their civilization, beliefs, traditional recipes and ancient songs adopted by many generations. All of these things were subsequently integrated into the culture of their new community within central Siam.

Although more than 240 years have now passed, if you happen to visit this same community today, you can still find original Tai Puan dishes such as “Pla doo” (herb-fermented fish, red lotus leaf-wrapped rice), fragrant soups and desserts like “Kao kra ya koo” (coconut milk-cooked ground rice) – all traditionally cooked by the community masters using original recipes that date back to over a century. Apart from their role as skilled Tai Puan chefs, the community masters can also introduce you to some interesting traditional shows and cultural performances. Elsewhere, pick up some ancient Tai Puan woven clothes and learn some local words and phrases to amaze other Thai people who probably wouldn’t understand! local transportation or take it easy on a bicycle as you visit the community masters with the orchard nearby.