Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Thai mango sticky rice sales surge after sweet treat’s Coachella cameo

Government seeks to capitalise on trend after rapper Milli eats dish on stage at US music festival
Bangkok’s famous Mae Varee mango sticky rice shop has barely kept up with demand over recent days. At one point, so many delivery drivers had lined up outside to collect orders that the police arrived, concerned that their bikes were blocking the traffic.

“Yesterday we needed to close the delivery orders from time to time because we couldn’t prepare [the rice] in time,” said Naparom Suntiparadorn, whose family own the shop. On Sunday, delivery orders were six or seven times higher than usual.

The frenzy came after the 19-year-old rapper Milli became the first Thai to perform solo at Coachella festival in California, and marked the occasion by eating the sweet treat on stage.

Her performance, including the way she mocked cliched stereotypes of Thailand (“I don’t ride an elephant”) and the Thai government, was applauded by many young Thais. “The country is good, people are good, our food is good but the government is bood [rotten],” she said.

Across Thailand, demand for mango sticky rice, one of the country’s best known desserts, has since rocketed. One popular food delivery app told Thai media that orders more than tripled in the 24 hours after Milli’s performance. Social media have been filled with images of the dessert: one meme replaced Bangkok’s Democracy Monument with an enormous mound of sticky rice, shielded by four slices of mango.

The government has sought to capitalise on the trend, despite Milli’s strong criticism of its leadership. The prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, said the culture ministry may propose recognition of mango sticky rice – khao nieo mamuang, in Thai – as an item of Thai cultural heritage through Unesco.

“It’s important for Thailand to use its soft power abroad. We have plenty of resources that can be promoted on the international stage,” Prayuth said, according to the Bangkok Post.

For shops that sell the dessert, however, the buzz is a welcome relief. Before the pandemic, most of Mae Varee’s customers were tourists, Naparom said, but it has been relying on local customers as the travel sector is yet to recover.

She said the shop used the best ingredients from all over the country. “The rice needs to be in perfect shape, with no cracking. We clean it well and steam it. The coconut is from Surat Thani province. We simmer it. It tastes sweet, but not too sweet, and aromatic. Our mango is also aromatic. It has a natural sweetness. Our signature is we sprinkle crispy mung beans on top.”

Naparom would welcome Unesco recognition. “I guess it’s like a Thai massage in that you need to come here to Thailand to experience it,” she said. “It won’t taste the same if you eat it anywhere else.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
×