Seeing central Thailand for the first time can be a breathtaking experience. Alan Wong, general manager of Kung Fu Plaza, remembers it fondly.

Although the region, which includes Bangkok, may not feel Westernized to suit everyone's level of comfort, there is no mistaking the grandeur. Bangkok and the Central Plains are important. Bordered by mountains on three sides and the ocean to the south, it is easy to see why the Chao Phraya became such an important part of the culture and heart of Thailand.

"As far as the eye can see on either side of the river is a complex system of irrigation that feeds vegetable gardens, orchards, rice fields, and other crops that make Thailand the garden of the world," says Wong. "While I have not seen it at harvest time, they say central Thailand turns from a sea of green into an ocean of pale gold."

Ancient cultures and agriculture helped distinguish Thailand.

Although the Thai people have ruled the area since the 1200s, Wong says there were two other notable civilizations that recognized the vast, flat, and fertile basin as an asset. The Mon, an ethnic group that also populated Burma, were one of the earliest people to live in the area and are most recognized for spreading Buddhism. The Khmer people, who now account for as much as 90 percent of Cambodia, also populated the northeastern portion of the basin.

"Sometimes it is important to trace the history of cooking to its earliest origins like we have done with Teochew cuisine," says Wong. "Even as a first generation American, it has helped me to reinforce the importance of authenticity and tradition."

Historically, the Thai people differed from earlier civilizations. After some periods of relative isolation, they were surprisingly resilient and open to other cultures. Among Europeans, Bangkok was quickly considered the "Venice of the East" and known for its endless processions of teak barges.

How a tradition of diversity sometimes impacts Thai cuisine.

According to Wong, it was Thailand's position in the world that helped it become one of the most important agricultural centers. While Americans have seen their crops lose variants over the last several decades, Thai people have been slowly expanding their ingredients.

"It is a significant difference between the Thais and Americans," says Wong. "They embrace diversity not only as a people but also in the foods they grow. It makes it especially challenging for us sometimes because as we work to revive some recipes, and it is nearly impossible to replace some of them."

When Westerners think of Thailand, the first thought that comes to mind is chili peppers (which were originally brought to Thailand by the Portuguese). But the area is richly diverse, which reveals various kinds of basil, sword-shaped pandanus leaves, kaffir limes, unique taramind pods, tiny eggplants (ma-khue pang), very different species of mangoes, and some 28 different varieties of bananas (to name a few).

With such a variety of ingredients, the diversity of Thai food is amazingly complex, especially in recent years. Wong says that for some time Thai people, especially those living in Bangkok, actually preferred Chinese and European dishes (although they would embellish them). This led to an understanding that the most authentic Thai dishes were cooked in homes or sometimes sold by street vendors.

"It was really fortuitous that my family was able to preserve so many recipes when they immigrated to America," says Wong. "Not all Thai recipes, those secret ones that were passed down from one generation to the next, survived especially because Thai people considered the art of cooking to be a lower station. We are also fortunate that we can add new dishes every year, those that borrow authentic techniques but are new in terms of how the dishes are prepared. We will be announcing one soon."

Kung Fu Plaza is the oldest and most authentic Thai food and Chinese food restaurant in Las Vegas. It is the authority on authentic Thai and Chinese cuisine, using its location in Las Vegas to introduce as many people as possible to new and timeless Asian cuisines.