Sugar-obsessed To The Hilt - Thailand's Rush Up The Diabetes Rankings

Thailand’s Sweet Tooth: When Everything Tastes Like Dessert

There’s something suspiciously sweet happening in Thailand and no, we’re not talking about the people. We’re talking about the food. All of it. Your iced coffee? Syrup with caffeine. Your green curry? Sugar with spice. Your salad? Surprise: it’s actually a fruit cocktail with chili flakes (little known fact: salad cream contains up to 25% of sugar!).

Welcome to Thailand, where the national food pyramid looks like a pile of sticky rice balanced on a mountain of white sugar.

Sweet by Default

Thais love sweetness the way Brits love sarcasm: subtly, but obsessively. Sugar isn’t just in desserts; it’s in everything. Fried chicken? Glazed. Pad Thai? Extra spoons of sugar added. Even soups like tom yum often come with a spoonful of sugar for that “why is this spicy AND sweet?” effect.

If you order a drink from a street vendor and don’t specify “mai wan” (ไม่หวาน – not sweet), you’ll get a beverage so sugary it could dissolve your teeth before the straw hits your lips. And if you do say “mai wan”? It’ll just be half a cup of sugar instead of a full one.

Dessert Disguises Everywhere

Ever had Thai toast? It’s not bread. It’s a sugar delivery system topped with condensed milk, chocolate syrup, and enough sprinkles to make a unicorn blush. Even “healthy” drinks like Thai iced green tea are basically liquefied candy in a cup. Aloe vera juice? More like aloe-syrup juice with bonus floaties.

Why So Sweet?

It’s partly cultural as sugar is associated with comfort, indulgence, and balance (in a mysterious “balance it with five other kinds of sugar” kind of way). And hey, who can resist a cold, sweet drink on a 38°C day when your shirt is clinging to you like a second skin?

Also, many food vendors use sugar to mask lower-quality ingredients. It’s cheaper than using more meat or fresher vegetables, and it hooks your taste buds like culinary nicotine.

The Bitter Side of Sweetness

But the sweet life comes at a cost. Thailand now has one of the highest sugar consumption rates in Asia. Obesity is rising, especially among kids, and Type 2 diabetes has become increasingly common. Thai health authorities have even started a sugar tax to curb the consumption of sweetened beverages, which probably explains why your favorite bottled milk tea now costs 2 baht more.

Meanwhile, street food vendors just started calling it a “wellness fee.” Probably.

Can You Escape the Sugar Storm?

Yes, but it requires vigilance. Say “mai waan loei” (really not sweet) with the same intensity you’d use to decline a cursed amulet (but don't complain if your drink tastes like regret in a cup). Read labels. Choose fresh coconuts over neon-colored sodas. And when in doubt, assume the sugar is already in there and has brought processed friends.

Final Thoughts 

Thailand’s relationship with sugar is passionate, confusing, and aggressively sticky. From overly sweet food and drinks to the silent creep of health consequences, the country is slowly waking up to the reality that not everything needs to taste like dessert.

But until that day comes, enjoy your mango sticky rice, just maybe skip the sweetened pork floss toast afterward.