History
Pat Thai has been known in Thailand for hundreds of years, the type of noodles having been introduced to Ayuthaya, the former capital, by Vietnamese traders. However, it was made popular by Luang Phibunsongkhram, the prime minister during the late 1930s and 1940s, as part of his campaign to promote Thai nationalism and centralization, seeking to reduce domestic rice consumption. The Thai economy was heavily dependent on rice exports, and the prime minister hoped to increase the amount for available to export by encouraging Thais to make and sell rice noodles from street carts and in small restaurants. Pad Thai has since become one of Thailand's national dishes.
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