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 I had a master degree in Mathematics
Education (from Chulalongkorn University) and Ph.D. in Education
Research and Statistics from University of North Texas.
The day I graduated (after being in schools for many years and did
not have any social life except my family), I cried instead of
smiling with happiness. At that moment I knew something
was not right. Since then (1999) I have tried to figure out
what has been wrong and who I was. I started to meditate and tried to find the root of the
problems that caused my life being in suffering since my
childhood. I could not believe I had been blinded for many years
because I had been distracted by family, school and education. I
never had time to know myself, to be with me. Thanks for being alone
in Texas for 5 years, I started to explore and see me clearly. I had
seen the desire, attachment, fear, love needs,
loneliness, and emptiness in me. I discover the causes of
the sufferings through the meditation. I still remember the first
day I meditated, I found the unconditional true love to forgive my
family (who hurt me unintentionally) and myself. I now love people
and want to share my compassion with them and help them.
I recently started another study in
acupuncture and oriental herbal medicine. I have seen many people
who have chronic problems that are hard to get curel because of their
poor diets. People do not realize how much the food they eat effects their body and then further impacts to their mind (their life).
I went on another step to prepare good and healthy food for people,
to give them another optional place to eat; however, I am not trying
to compete with other food business. I just want to share what I
have that I think it may be healthy for them as well.
In July of 2003 I
opened a Thai restaurant “Dharma Garden Thai Cusine” that offers
only fresh vegetarian and seafood. I have been working so hard to
write the menu that come up with the creative ideas and using some
of nutrition knowledge I have. I put my heart and spirit in it, to provide
the creative dishes with healthful food and cooking process. I try
to use all the vegetables in seven colors; I believe that the Mother
Nature already creates the food for us as the best medicine. We just
need to know how to use it in the most beneficial way. The plants
collect the frequency energy from the solar system, and we eat them
to receive the energy. I feel so thankful to the nature that create
and provide all the resources for us.
Fortunately, I did not receive much
influence from the traditional and typical Thai cooking. When I was
in Thailand, my family did not allow me in the kitchen to cook. I
started to cook by my own experiment without any manuals or recipes.
I created my own dishes during being in the graduate schools in
Texas, and educated myself what kinds of ingredients and food that
are healthful for us. The big influence was Dr. Andrew Wyne.
 Most of the food at the Dharma Garden
Thai Cuisine, is homemade freshly prepared without MSG, Fish sauce,
Oyster sauce, white sugar; I try to reduce any preservative and
refined products. I used only Olive oil, brown sugar (as necessary),
mushroom soy sauce, and sea-salt. My stomach is very sensitive to
the chemical, unhealthful, and the food that is not fresh and not
clean. Unfortunately, most of the places I went out to have food
caused me to get sick with unhealthy, unclean food and unsatisfied tastes
(too sweet, too salty, too greasy, etc.) I am very selective (with
consciousness) what I am eating and believe what we take is what we
are to be. Healthful food produces healthful energy for (good qi or
vital energy for the mind and body).
I am lucky to have the chef friends who
love to cook delicious, traditional but creative Thai food. We hope
to see people come to have good, healthy, and delicious food, sit
back and relax, and enjoy life taking a break from the stressful job
and life style. The chefs at Dharma Garden prepare food with
kindness and love (good spirit); however, they cook food in the
traditional way. The food may come out one dish per time because we
share food and finish one dish before going to the next dish, which
is still warm coming out from the kitchen. We hope that the
customers will understand and be patience to wait for delicious
homemade dishes.
I and my friend (Prasat Duangoupa)
invested a lot to remodel the place to make it like a garden and
home with the good energy of a slate floor from India, beautiful and
creative wood work, beautiful handcraft and arts shipping from
Thailand. We also support the village people by importing beautiful
and creative handcraft and arts from Thailand. I wish many people
will give us a chance to share our compassion, and try our food.
Hopefully we may be able to work together and make the world to be a
better place to live healthier. I also plan to support the organic
farms in the future if we have the chance to survive in this
business.
Thank you for your kindness.
Dr. Surintorn Suanthong (or Ning)
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