The next time you’re slurping up a steaming hot, sour and spicy bowl of tom yum kung, or tom yum prawn soup, know that you’re not just having a delicious meal, you’re also enjoying a dish that’s just been recognised as Thailand’s intangible cultural heritage, highlighting its cultural significance.
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage announced the decision to include tom yum kung on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its meeting in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday (Dec 4).
This year’s list also included, among others, the making of jang, a food made of fermented soybean, from South Korea, and practices related to henna, which was nominated by a few countries.
The news was shared by Thailand’s Culture Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol who said that tom yum kung “reflects the lifestyle of Thai people” and is “a dish of people in riverside agricultural communities in (Thailand’s) Central Plain”.
She added: “Its ingredients come from local resources and local people turn them into healthy food.”
The minister described the dish’s flavour profile as primarily coming from “lime-induced sourness, complemented by saltiness from fish sauce, the heat of chilli, sweetness of prawns, and a hint of herbal bitterness”.
Four other Thai cultural heritages have been listed on UNESCO’s Representative List: The Khon mask dance, Nora dance, Thai massage and the Songkran festival.
The list was developed by UNESCO in 2008 and comprises intangible cultural heritage elements from different countries.
It seeks to raise awareness of the importance of such practices and expressions, encourage dialogue that respects cultural diversity, as well as give due recognition to the practices and expressions of communities worldwide.
Singapore’s hawker culture was included in the list in 2020.
