Thai cuisine is renowned as a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. The presentation of food is very important. The simplest dish is often served with a carved vegetable flower or a spring onion tassel.

Rice (khao) is eaten with most meals. To eat in Thai is literally "to eat rice" or kin khao. The finest Thai rice is khao hawm mali (jasmine rice). It has a distinctive sweet smell when cooked. In the north and northeast, khao niaw (sticky rice) is common. Thai meals are normally shared. Each person is given a plate of rice, and three or four meat or vegetable dishes are placed in the centre of the table. Each person takes a helping from one dish at a time and eats it with the rice.

Thais eat most dishes with a fork and tablespoon. The fork is held in the left hand and is used to push food onto the spoon. Food is always eaten from the spoon. The Thais consider it rude to put a fork into one's mouth. Noodles are eaten with chopsticks (ta kiap), and noodle soups with a spoon and chopsticks. Sticky rice is rolled into balls and eaten with the fingers.

Thai food is highly spiced. Dishes may be flavoured with lime juice, fish sauce (naam pla) or salty shrimp paste (kapi). Garlic, lemongrass, galanga root (khaa), black pepper, basil, ground peanuts, tamarind juice (naam makhaam), ginger (khing), coconut milk (kati) and fresh coriander leaf are also used as seasonings. Although the traditional Thai cooking methods are stewing and grilling, other cultures have influenced the cuisine. The Chinese introduced stir-frying and deep-frying of meat, chicken and vegetables. The Indians introduced fiery curries and the Portuguese missionaries introduced chilis.