' Old Git, claims that " the Thais are not reliable when it comes to maintaining food hygiene with western food" I'm not arguing but I would love to see your source for that remark. Hygiene is not specific to cooking styles. '

My source is me - who has spent nearly four years in the LoS if you tot up all my trips over the past quarter century.

' The bacteria that cause illness thrive in the same conditions regardless of the culture. '

But look at the difference between Thai cooking methods and western ones. The Thai way involves virtually no pre-processing of meat (other than the drying of fish) and as most restaurants make a daily trip to market, the bugs don't get a chance to fester. Moreover they cut their meat items up fine enough to be fully cooked when fried or roasted.

My last trip was for eleven weeks and I didn't get sick once - same last year. I don't touch burgers, pies or sausages, but I do eat stir fried Thai (usually in the evening) I eat kebabs off the soi BBQ stalls, and also fresh fruit from the street vendors. For my morning brunch I often have a chilli and rice, or a thinly cut pork or chicken steak if I'm hungry.

Another no-no are Indian restaurants BTW - they often don't take the trouble to keep things clean enough..