When I first visited Thailand in 1989 there were no fast food chains – and no overweight Thai people. Twenty years later there are loads of fast food chains and many overweight Thais. It’s a tragedy that the worst of our western food habits has infiltrated this amazing culture.

In 1989 you would be hard pressed to find chips, burgers, pizza, decent bread or milk shakes. Today in Bangkok you could easily eat only this type of food. But who would want to? Nothing beats sitting at a formica table under a corrugated iron roof inhaling humid car fumes and tucking into a bowl of noodle soup with thin slices of pork, steamed fish balls and green vegetables or a plate of Khao Pad Gai – kai dow (Chicken fried rice with a fried egg on top). That’s what we’ve been eating for breakfast at a street near where we are staying.

This morning it struck me how the food sold at the street side stalls has a balance of carbohydrate, protein and vegetables – rice or noodles, a choice of pork, fish, beef, chicken and sometimes duck prepared in a variety of ways, and always a few vegetables, fragrant herbs and chilli. Compared to a bowl of Ricies or jam on toast the Thai breakfast is nutritious, cheap and lasts me at least half the day.

It’s 5pm and I could be drinking wine and scoffing potato crisps. Instead, next to my computer is cold water (which tastes so good in the heat) and fresh slices of delicious mango, pineapple and papaya. Perhaps I really am a health freak but these flavours are amazing. And it’s not long until dinner – clear soup with minced pork and vegetables, stir fried vegetables and green chicken curry – skilfully prepared by our lovely maid. Fantastic!!