When you eat Kobe beef - the meat that comes from cows rumoured to live a life of massage and beer-guzzling - your taste buds won't know what hit them. Tongue-tinglingly rich, its velvet-soft flesh doesn't just give a good aftertaste - it practically massages your mouth from the inside.

This isn't a steak - this is crack. In bovine form.

One problem - your wallet won't know what hit it either. A Kobe steak will set you back anything up to £200 in London, yet in Thailand's exclusive Breeze restaurant - where Ken Ho from London's famous Hakkasan is the head chef - it's a mere £40 ($80). Overlooking Bangkok's constantly evolving skyline, it's also a view you won’t forget either.

And that's the pleasure of Thailand. It may be better known for skuzzy backpackers guzzling street-side noodles, but this "country of smiles" is not just cheap and cheerful - it's becoming chic and cheerful too, as high-class eateries pop up to service a new luxury-loving crowd.

And the favourable exchange rate (33 Thai baht to the US dollar at present) means the average pauper can live like a Thai king, and experience the kind of culinary delights they could previously only gawp through the glass at.

Food is everywhere in Thailand. It's perhaps not surprising that this is a country where it's not uncommon to greet someone with the phrase "Gin khao ru yang?" (have you eaten?). And while the ubiquitous noodle shacks and carts heaving with fresh fruit (the colourful Dragon Fruit, with a spiky pink exterior that could be cast in Star Trek, is a particular highlight), do all represent excellent value (often at just 50 cents for a noodle soup), it's the high-end meals that delight.

Eat at the Millennium Hilton, for example - a stunning modernist hotel situated in the old City by the river - and you can experience true luxury. It may say five-star, but for Thailand, five-star is a seven-star by any other name. Their gourmet steak-house Prime - fast becoming considered as one of the world's great steak-houses - is no different. Serving speciality steaks from all over the world, in portions that could kill a man, you know you're in luxury when they serve thumb-fat cigars, offer menus you could surf on. Expect to pay no more than $90 per head for two courses.

Outside of the rash of high-end hotels sprouting up - the stunningly chic Millennium Hilton and the elegant Siri Sathorn Hotel both opened last year - there's also a range of high-glam bars now on offer. The Sirocco at LeBua, for instance, boasts the city's most spectacular balcony bar overlooking the city, attracts the kind of cocktail crowd looking for a (very) high-end experience.

For other sky-high views, check out ThreeSixty at the Hilton. True to its name, it features a slanted glass window giving a panoramic view of the city. It's perfect to kick off a night on the town, which may just involve dancing the night away at Q Bar, one of Bangkok's premier nightspots. With two bars, a large terrace and a kicking dancefloor, it also boasts pillars covered in leather - so even your mis-steps end softly.

But it's not all high-rises and low-stumbles. For a more savoury night out, there's an ever-increasing range of elegant local restaurants where once there was just plastic stools and noodle-soup.

The Mango Tree in Bangkok is a fine example of a sublime local restaurant - their king prawns and green chicken curry are a must - in a luxurious setting (an 80-year-old Siamese restaurant house) which won't dent the wallet. Expect to pay a maximum of $8 for a main course.

Journey out of Bangkok and the prices are cheaper still. At the renowned White Lotus restaurant in Hua Hin - which serves classic Cantonese fair and boasts spectacular views of the Gulf of Thailand - you can even eat plates of Dim Sum from just $1 each at the weekend.

But there's just one problem - with all this luxury on the cheap, coming home may be a little hard to stomach.

Breeze

Exclusive outdoor restaurant high up the LeBua state tower, it's notable for the spectacular views across the city, stunning seafood, and Kobe beef that almost defies description. Your mouth will never be the same again.

Prime

Gourmet steak-house at the Millennium Hilton fast gaining a reputation among aficionados, they offer steaks from all over the world, a range of quality cigars and wines, and menus you could surf on. Expect to pay no more than $90 per head for two courses.

The Mango Tree

A fine example of a sublime local restaurant - their king prawns and green chicken curry are a must - in a luxurious setting (an 80-year-old Siamese restaurant house) which won't dent the wallet. Expect to pay a maximum of $8 for a main course.

White Lotus

Hua Hin restaurant serving classic Cantonese fair and boasting spectacular views of the Gulf of Thailand - you can even eat plates of Dim Sum from just $1 each at the weekend.

The Sirocco

Boasts the city's most spectacular balcony bar at the top of the Le Beu state tower overlooking the stunning skyline, and attracts the kind of cocktail crowd looking for a (very) high-end experience.

ThreeSixty

Topping the Millennium Hilton and overlooking the river, ThreeSixty features a slanted glass window giving a panoramic view of the city - perfect to kick off a night on the town.

Q Bar

Emerged seemingly from nowhere to establish itself as one of Bangkok's premier nightspots. With two bars, a large terrace and a kicking dancefloor, it even boasts pillars covered in leather - so even if you have one too many, it’ll be a soft landing.

Without doubt, the Millennium Hilton. Stunning modernist design, an outdoor swimming pool on the 9th floor, expansive in-hotel spa, and rooms with sweeping views along the Chao Praya river. Luxury like you've never had before.