The southern cuisine is best known in its weight of hot and spice. The locals believe that living in humid climate along the broad coastline can make them sick. Thus, the heat from food can protect them from fevers. This is how the geography affects the taste of the southerners.

Connected to Muslim country like Malaysia, the region has inevitably been passed Islamic culture into its culinary realm. There is an extensive use of turmeric that characteristically makes the southern dishes look yellowish such as 'gaeng lueng' (spicy coconut shoot soup), 'khao mok gai' (turmeric rice topped with chicken) and even 'gaeng som' (tamarind-flavored soup).

Southerners' favorite entry is 'gaeng tai pla' (fish viscera curry) which gives a spicy taste from chilies and salty flavor from 'koei' (shrimp paste). Massaman is another unique curry famous among people in the peninsula. Despite that Massaman is made from ingredients as basic as those curries found in other regions-chili, garlic, onion, galangal, lemongrass, coriander roots, kaffir lime and shrimp paste, it also comprises the five-spice powder strongly influenced from India. The locals also feature this curry with roasted peanuts, common in most southern dishes.

Surrounded by cove and ocean, the southerners are lucky to be able to enjoy abundant seafood throughout the year. They simply transform fresh Phuket's rock lobster, fish, crabs, prawns, squids, clams and mussels into many delicious menus. Besides grilling, boiling and barbecuing, people season their selected seafood with aromatic herbs and spices. 'goong ga-thi nor mai sod' (prawns and bamboo soot in coconut soup), 'poo pad pong gari' (fried crab with yellow curry) and 'goong pad sataw' (fried prawn with twisted cluster beans) are one of the most famous dishes. The bitter 'sa-taw' is another identity of southern cuisine.

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