#ScienceAndCulture

From Bangkok’s busy markets to Isan kitchens and temple altars, the aromatic rhizome เปราะหอม—Kaempferia galanga—has long been part of daily Thai life. Once reserved for healers and ritual practitioners, this humble plant now sits at the crossroads of culinary tradition and modern pharmacology. How do Thai beliefs about this root align with new scientific findings, and what should health-conscious readers know today?

For generations, เปราะหอม has earned a respected place in Thai traditional medicine. The rhizome, also known as ว่านหอม, ว่านตีนดิน, and หอมเปราะ, appears in folklore as a safeguard against misfortune and a gentle healer. Its regional names mirror its deep roots across Thai communities and neighboring Southeast Asian cultures, where similar plants are known as cekur in Malaysia and kencur in Indonesia. This cross-cultural appeal signals a shared heritage of aromatic remedies that extend beyond borders.

From the bustling wet markets of Bangkok to the rural kitchens and home altars of Isan, the aromatic rhizome known as เปราะหอม—Kaempferia galanga—has quietly permeated Thai life for centuries. Once reserved for ancient healers, royal courtiers, and spiritual practitioners, this humble root has survived countless health trends, outlasting many in the cultural imagination and emerging today as both a celebrated culinary spice and a growing subject of modern pharmacological curiosity. How does this ancient Thai remedy stack up against the rising tide of scientific scrutiny, and what can a new generation of health-conscious Thais learn as we rediscover its potential?

Mangosteen hides its treasure inside a thick, glossy purple rind. The snow-white segments have long enchanted eaters and earned the nickname “Queen of Fruits.” Today, mangosteen sits at the crossroads of ancient herbal wisdom and modern biomedical research—a story with strong relevance for Thai readers and health enthusiasts worldwide.

Across Thailand’s markets and orchards—from Chanthaburi’s fertile plains to southern groves—mangosteen is more than a seasonal fruit. For centuries, the fruit, rind, and even tree bark have appeared in local remedies and rituals believed to balance the body and restore health. But what does current science say about these traditional claims? How can Thais and visitors enjoy mangosteen while understanding its true medicinal potential?

Across the rice fields and riverbanks of Thailand’s Northeast, stories spin about a curious plant whose roots are as twisted as the folklore surrounding them. Known as “ปลาไหลเผือกน้อย” (pla lai phueak noi) or regionally as “เอี่ยนด่อน,” Eurycoma harmandiana Pierre has woven itself into the medicinal traditions of Thai and neighboring Lao communities for generations. Bearing a name that translates to “white eel” in local dialects—“เอียน” meaning eel and “ด่อน” denoting the white color—this small but potent shrub holds a revered place in Isan folk practice as a source of wellness, vitality, and resilience, cherished particularly for its powerful roots.

Across Thailand’s Northeast, locals tell of a small shrub whose roots are said to renew strength and vitality. Known as ปลาไหลเผือกน้อย (pla lai phueak noi) or “เอี่ยนด่อน” in some regions, Eurycoma harmandiana Pierre has long featured in Isan and Lao healing traditions. The name, literally describing a “white eel,” underscores the plant’s place in local folklore and its honored status as a tonic with powerful roots.

This piece traces Eurycoma harmandiana from ancient practice to contemporary science. Rural healers, village stories, and modern laboratories converge as researchers examine whether traditional claims hold up under today’s standards. Thailand’s renewed interest in botanical heritage highlights the potential of this humble root to inspire both cultural pride and new health insights.

For centuries, the humble dill—known in Thai as เทียนตาตั๊กแตน, or by culinary names like ผักชีลาว and มะแหลม—has played a quiet but significant role in traditional Thai herbal medicine. Far more than a flavorful addition to soup or salad, dill fruit and seeds have been utilized across Asian healing systems for their soothing effects on the stomach, their diuretic actions, and as a natural remedy for a range of everyday ailments. With renewed interest in natural therapies now echoing across Thailand and the world, researchers are turning their attention to this aromatic member of the Apiaceae family, seeking to confirm its time-honored benefits with modern scientific rigor. What emerges is a story that bridges ancient wisdom and twenty-first century science, offering health-conscious readers a fascinating window into the legacy and future promise of dill.

Dill, known in Thai as เทียนตาตั๊กแตน and commonly cooked as ผักชีลาว or มะแหลม, has long held a quiet yet meaningful place in traditional Thai healing. Beyond flavor, dill seeds and fruits have been used to calm the stomach, support diuresis, and address everyday ailments. As interest in natural therapies grows in Thailand and around the world, researchers are examining this aromatic herb through rigorous science, seeking to confirm its time-honored benefits. The result is a dialogue between ancient wisdom and modern medicine that resonates with health-conscious readers.