The one large city, Bangkok, has well over six million people and is huge, crowded, noisy and modern. International corporations, elegant hotels, theaters, museums, nightclubs, open-air markets and Buddhist temples are all a part of Bangkok. Tourism is the largest source of foreign exchange. In the villages large Thai families often live together and work the land, as the majority of Thailand's people make a living in one way or another from the land. Seafood, coconuts, tropical fruits, rice, tapioca, cane sugar, mushrooms, bananas and shrimp are plentiful foods.
Thai cuisine varies in different regions of the country.
Seafoods are most common in the south and the Muslim communities of the deep south are partial to all kinds of curries. Many spices and herbs are used in Thai food such as hot peppers, garlic, coriander, ginger, onions and curries. A sweet, aromatic black seed spice encased in a hard pale green shell much like a tiny head of garlic, used in massaman curry. Grate fresh coconut meat with boiling water or use canned coconut milk that has been diluted in half with water. The whole, round seeds of cilantro is roasted and ground to use as a spice in curry pastes.