If you could preserve just one flavor from the past, which dish would you choose?
We are currently inviting everyone to join the search for The Lost Taste—the forgotten flavors of the past. You can cast your vote either in person at the exhibition at AREA 36 or online via the channels of the Songkhla Provincial Cultural Office.
The The Lost Taste campaign is organized by the Songkhla Provincial Cultural Office, under the Ministry of Culture. The goal is to invite the public to reconnect with fading local dishes and provide a space for everyone to co-select the menu they want to see documented, preserved, and passed down to the next generation.
In this round, three traditional Songkhla dishes are stepping into the arena:
- Khao Dok Rai (ข้าวดอกราย)
- Paeng Daeng (เมนูแป้งแดง)
- Nhom Khang Khao (หนมค้างคาว)
Each menu harbors hidden stories, local wisdom, and people’s memories. Some names might sound familiar, some you may be hearing for the very first time, and some might make you pause and wonder, “Is this a dessert, a savory dish, or just a quirky name?”
However, the less familiar we are with them, the more reason these dishes should be brought back to life—before they fade away from our dining tables and our memories entirely.
How to Vote?
For those joining the event at AREA 36, the rules are incredibly simple. No judging panels, no scoreboards, and no arguing until your dinner gets cold!
Just read the stories behind the three dishes, take one ping-pong ball, and drop it into the container of the menu you want to see preserved and popularized once again.
Before leaving, we also invite everyone to leave a short message on a Post-it note, answering the prompt:
“I want to preserve this dish because…”
Some choose a dish because it’s a childhood favorite, while some choose it because it reminds them of their family. Others choose it purely out of curiosity about its name, and many have never even tasted it but don’t want it to disappear before getting a chance to know it.
If you cannot make it to AREA 36, you can still be a part of the search for The Lost Taste by voting online through the channels of the Songkhla Provincial Cultural Office.
Whether it’s a ping-pong ball or an online click, every vote counts. These votes are not just numbers; they are small voices declaring that people still want to discover, taste, and see these traditional dishes return to our tables.
Right now, the scores for all three menus are steadily climbing, and the competition is fierce. Between Khao Dok Rai, Paeng Daeng, and Nhom Khang Khao, which menu will garner the most support and become the ultimate “Lost Taste” that people want to bring back?
We won’t have to wait long to find out together.
Your one voice might just bring one flavor back.
Stay tuned for the voting results and the full stories of these three dishes coming soon via the website and PR channels of the Songkhla Provincial Cultural Office.
