DUDLEY IN BANGKOK
Featuring Dudley Newbery's trip to Bangkok where he samples and re-creates some of the finest Thai dishes. Dudley is joined by Tamsin Ramasut who is half Welsh and half Thai, and is inspired by the romantic story of how her parents met in Thailand during the 60s.
DUDLEY'S PILGRIMAGE TO BANGKOK
DUDLEY NEWBERY and TAMSIN RAMASUT’s visit to Thailand’s capital, Bangkok earlier this summer took them on a trail of an international love story and opened their eyes to the lifestyle and character of a highly hospitable people. as well as the country’s rich and diverse cuisine.
The story begins in Cardiff’s celebrated Thai restaruant, Thai House, the first Thai restaraunt to open in the UK outside London. The Thai House is owned by the Ramasuts, Thai businessman Noi and his Welsh wife, Arlene, originally from Kenfig Hill. They met in Bangkok in the 60s when Arlene was travelling the world, became firm friends, fell in love, got married and moved to Wales where they brought up their three children as Welsh speakers. although neither Noi nor Arlene speak the language.
Dudley Newbery’s love of Thai food and the Thai House cuisine is no secret, and when production company Teledu Opus decided to make a documentary about Thailand, they naturally turned to the Ramasuts. Enter Tamsin Ramasut, 28, to accompany Dudley on his trip.
What Dudley discovered on his journey was that you could not enjoy a taste of Thai food without experiencing a whole way of life. Wherever they went – a Buddhist temple. a Thai boxng meet, a family reunion, a city golf course, a paddy field and a floating market – food played a central role.
"The one thing I noticed when I arrived was that everyone was always smiling. It didn’t take me long to find out why - it was the food. With this much food around even I was smiling by the end of the day! Everyone enjoys their food and it plays an important part in their lives," said Dudley.
"I have never seen so much colour, and such a variety of fresh food. Wherever I went, I was surrounded by wonderful fresh food, fruit, noodle dishes, satays, curries, vegetable dishes, every colour and flavour you could possibly need."
Tamsin Ramasut already knew that Thai people lived for food. She has visited the country a number of times before. But it was an opportunity for her to see the land of her fathers through other people’s eyes. Tamsin, her sister Catrin, 26, a presenter and actress, and brother Tom, 24, a professional footballer with Barry Town, were brought up in Cardiff and count themselves as Welsh first and foremost, but their strong Thai herirtage is also central to their lives.
"We have adopted many of the values and instincts of the Thai people without being conscience of it. We take it for granted to some extent. But in the company of Dudley and the film crew, I realised how friendly, hospitable and happy Thai people. Like the Welsh, the Thai people are friendly, and there was an instant rapport between the crew and my grandmother and the family," says Tamsin, now living in Regent’s Park, London and inent on a career in urban planning. "And of course the food is always good."
The story begins in Cardiff’s celebrated Thai restaruant, Thai House, the first Thai restaraunt to open in the UK outside London. The Thai House is owned by the Ramasuts, Thai businessman Noi and his Welsh wife, Arlene, originally from Kenfig Hill. They met in Bangkok in the 60s when Arlene was travelling the world, became firm friends, fell in love, got married and moved to Wales where they brought up their three children as Welsh speakers. although neither Noi nor Arlene speak the language.
Dudley Newbery’s love of Thai food and the Thai House cuisine is no secret, and when production company Teledu Opus decided to make a documentary about Thailand, they naturally turned to the Ramasuts. Enter Tamsin Ramasut, 28, to accompany Dudley on his trip.
What Dudley discovered on his journey was that you could not enjoy a taste of Thai food without experiencing a whole way of life. Wherever they went – a Buddhist temple. a Thai boxng meet, a family reunion, a city golf course, a paddy field and a floating market – food played a central role.
"The one thing I noticed when I arrived was that everyone was always smiling. It didn’t take me long to find out why - it was the food. With this much food around even I was smiling by the end of the day! Everyone enjoys their food and it plays an important part in their lives," said Dudley.
"I have never seen so much colour, and such a variety of fresh food. Wherever I went, I was surrounded by wonderful fresh food, fruit, noodle dishes, satays, curries, vegetable dishes, every colour and flavour you could possibly need."
Tamsin Ramasut already knew that Thai people lived for food. She has visited the country a number of times before. But it was an opportunity for her to see the land of her fathers through other people’s eyes. Tamsin, her sister Catrin, 26, a presenter and actress, and brother Tom, 24, a professional footballer with Barry Town, were brought up in Cardiff and count themselves as Welsh first and foremost, but their strong Thai herirtage is also central to their lives.
"We have adopted many of the values and instincts of the Thai people without being conscience of it. We take it for granted to some extent. But in the company of Dudley and the film crew, I realised how friendly, hospitable and happy Thai people. Like the Welsh, the Thai people are friendly, and there was an instant rapport between the crew and my grandmother and the family," says Tamsin, now living in Regent’s Park, London and inent on a career in urban planning. "And of course the food is always good."