Is Thailand Getting Fat?

We have all seen the all-too familiarsight of the oversized farang walking down the beach intiny black Speedos that leave little tothe imagination; or the robust and bouncyEuropean prominently displaying her sizeablewares. If you steal a peek at the locals you will notice the whimsical look in their eyes as theywatch these overweight foreigners cook themselves into a crimson fright. I wonder what Thai people actually think of this unattractive exhibition. One question that comes to mindis: How did they get so fat?

Thais are probably the most genetically blessed people on the planet. They seem to be able to snack all day and still remain slender. They break every American dieting rule, but still they appear to remain youthful and thin. Dr. Atkins plainly tells Americans that you canonly have a quarter of a cup of rice with your meal and only once a day. Once a day! He suggests that there are too many carbohydrates in rice and it will surely pack on the pounds.

Yet Thai people eat rice with every meal and still they remain petite. Let’s not even mention the sugar that Thais consume; from the coloured sugar water that’s served to school children, to the massive amounts of sugar that’sadded to a cup of corn…once again, Dr. Atkins would not approve.

There is something sinister going on here. What are Americans doing wrong and more importantly, what are Thais doing right?Well, Thais have been eating healthy balanced meals everyday, where as Americans took the fast-food route to chunky heaven a long time ago.

But are the days of the eternally slender Thais disappearing? Things are certainly changing in Thailand with McDonald’s, KFCs, and Burger Kings arriving all over Phuket. Many Thais are welcoming these fast food joints with open arms. They are, for all intensive purposes, walking down the proverbial “road to fatness” and could very well suffer the same fate as many Americans.

Thai newspapers report that 14% of Thai children are already obese. They are mainlyblaming western fast food joints likeMcDonald’s and KFC. It is interesting to notethat the children of the more affluent Thaifamilies make up the majority of this obesepopulation sector. Besides having the meansto buy more fast-food, this new generationspends too much time watching television andplaying video games. They do not have towork and they are not going out to play asmuch as they did in the past.

Before there was a fast-food joint onevery corner of every American street in every American city, how did the hungry American survive? What did they eat? Their eating habits were quite similar to the way most Thais dine today; they had neighbourhood diners that were not that different from the mom and pop noodle stalls that are found throughout Thailand. Americans also ate the majority of their meals at home as a family unit —something that’s almost unheard of today.

Thais have it good right now. If you are hungry at 8pm in Thailand, you can run down to any noodle stall and get a nutritious meal that is delicious and inexpensive, complete with vegetables! A hungry patron would not be limited to frozen hockey-puck patties, processed imitation potatoes and half a gallon of coke. Thais have options. But just as in America thirty years ago, more and more fast foodjoints are popping up and just like Americans, the slender people of Thailand are also susceptible to becoming the latest victims of the fast-food demons.

Phuket Town already boasts having three KFCs, two McDonald’s, and several pizza joints, and that’s not evencounting what Patong has on offer.

What happened in America is happening everywhere, only faster. And Thailand has now entered into this arena of dangerous junk food. Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's are targeting the Asian market with "special" Asian influenced dishes, while Pizza Hut is spreading across the planet. Half of McDonald's' business is outside the United States.

Is Thailand getting fat? The answer is a resounding…maybe. Thailand is definitely travelling on the "fat road", and it is very conceiveable that they will follow Americans’ flabby footsteps into chunky heaven.

As we watch Phuket become more and more westernized in their music, clothing, and in many cases attitudes, is it really so far fetched to think that they will also adopt American eating habits and their blase outlook towards obesity as well?

One thing is definitely clear; the increasing Thai philosophy today is “obesity be damned.” Let the feasting begin.