For geographical reasons, ships from the Middle East, India and China used to pass through the Straits of Malacca. Southeast Asian countries have become the only way and naturally become the meeting point. Businessmen from all over the world will stay here and even live here forever. This area was once a colony of western countries. Because of this, Southeast Asian countries are also deeply influenced by food culture from the West, the Middle East, Indian and China. However, because of the relationship between ingredients and local culture, it is different from the diet from the country of origin, even in the country of origin. For example, bak Kut teh, a kind of broth made of Chinese herbal medicine and pork, looks like Chinese food, but there is no such formula in China (I heard it exists now).
Generally speaking, Southeast Asia is good at localizing foreign food, integrating local tastes and ingredients, and forming a unique food culture.