A 90-year-old great-grandmother is still working as a chef - proudly declaring there is 'no point in living if I can't cook'.

Sprightly nonagenarian Yai Tham - who credits her long life to Thai chilli paste - has been rustling up delicious servings of national staple Pad Thai from her kitchen in Bangkok, Thailand, for more than half-a-century.

Footage from April 5 shows the pensioner expertly cooking the nutty, savoury-sweet meal by stir-frying rice noodles, eggs, bean sprouts and sauce together in a wok before topping it off with jumbo portions of bright orange prawns.

She said: 'To live this long, there's nothing in particular that I avoid. I only eat Thai chili paste regularly.

'I also rarely go outside, except for religious ceremonies. I don't really enjoy the shopping malls when my family takes me there.

'I try to stay healthy so I can still cook. There is no point in living if I can't cook good food for my children.'

Yai Tham said she had previously been forced to relocate her restaurant when a hotel owner bought the land on which it was located.

Today, she operates from her house in the capital's Phra Nakhon District, after her grandchildren bought her the property six years ago.

The industrious great-grandmother is a hit with residents and passing tourists who regularly eat her food.

She said: 'For the past six years, I have been opening my restaurant every day. I really love what I do.

'I am happy to cook, especially after customers tell me they want to try my dishes, or when they wish for my good health and longevity.'

She added that foreign tourists have also visited her restaurant and left satisfied with their bellies full.