Harry Styles has a secret friendship with a Thai granny who cooks for him whenever he is in the country - and he affectionately her calls ‘mama'.

The singer struck up an instant bond over his love of food with cook Joom, 65, when he ate at her run-down restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2015.

He went again on his world tour in 2018 and is in Southeast Asia again for the latest leg of his ‘Love On Tour' concert.

Pescatarian Harry stunned staff when he arrived unannounced at the restaurant on March 9 and had an emotional embrace with Joom, who welled up with tears when she saw Harry again.

Incredibly, staff said that Harry called the restaurant himself earlier in the day to make a reservation without revealing his identity - but was told the restaurant was too busy for bookings.

Instead, he arrived at the tiny single-room cafe - where menus are hand-written on cardboard - and waited outside ‘for hours' before there was space available.

The star ordered fried fish, spicy somtam salad, pomelo followed by mango and sticky rice. He sipped on water with no ice.

After finishing the food, Harry posed for intimate pictures with spinster Joom who endearingly calls Harry ‘my son'. The singer is even said to refer to Joom as ‘mama'.

Joom said: ‘Harry doesn't have a hint of arrogance. He's so down-to-earth and sweet. I'm flattered that he likes my food.

'We weren't expecting him and didn't even know he was in Thailand. It was a lovely surprise and my heart was full over love to see him again.'

Waitress Yui, 30, said that when Harry visited on previous occasions he had security and bodyguards with him. However, this time he came alone with a small group of friends.

They left a ‘good tip' and walked away on foot.

Yui said: ‘Harry was so nice and sweet in real life. He came in and went straight to the owner and started talking with her. He was so pleased to see her after so long and he was smiling the whole time.

‘He calls her ‘Mama' and she calls him Luk-chai, which means her son.

‘Harry came before in 2018 but then he had lots of security with him. This time he came with just a small group and no bodyguards like before.

‘He called himself earlier in the day but we didn't know it was him. We told him it was too busy and full of customers and couldn't guarantee a place. But he still came and he waited outside until a table was available.

‘He stayed at the restaurant for hours just so he could see the owner again.'

Harry was seen on Wednesday afternoon buying fresh coconut juice from a market in the Siam area of the city. He is believed to be staying at a nearby five-star hotel.

The single-room restaurant is on Sukhumvit Soi 33 around 2.5 miles away. It is nestled among rows of ‘soapy massage' brothers where girls work until the early hours of the morning.

Yui opened her restaurant selling homemade Thai dishes around 16 years ago.

ENDS

HARRY'S BILLS

One whole fried fish = 450 Baht (10.75 GBP)

Spicy somtam salad = 75 Baht (1.79 GBP)

Pomelo salad = 130 Baht (3.11 GBP)

Mango sticky rice = 240 Baht (5.74 GBP)

Water = 20 Baht (0.48 GBP)


TOTAL = 915 Baht ( 21.87 GBP)
ENDS


1.00 Hello my name is Aunty Joom. I am the owner of the Thai restaurant in Sukhumvit son 33. I'm 65 years old
1.11 When the popular singer Harry Styles came to your restaurant yesterday, do you know him personally?
1.19 I met Harry before. He is such a sweetheart. Whenever he comes here, he'LL come to say hi. He's a consistent sweet boy, he hasn't changed
1.34 When he came to the restaurant, you were the person who took the order from him yes?
1.41 He ordered fried fish, papaya salad, pomelo and also mango sticky rice. He ordered water with no ice
1.55 Do you remember when exactly did he last came here?
2.01 He came here four or five years back and I didn't see him again until now
2.09 How would you describe Harry ever since you met him?
2.19 He is very sweet and approachable. The way he behaves when I first met him, until now, he is exactly the same.
2.28 There was no security. I talked to the waitress and they told me that he sat here at the restaurant for quite some time am I right? How long was he here for?
2.39 He sat here for about two hours. There were so many customers then so I did not give him any special treatment but he's not arrogant. He is easygoing.
2.48 Were there crowds when he came?
2.50 No. Nobody crowded over him when he came here. He tried to sit and not attract attention. He stayed until everyone had left then we chatted
3.03 So how did he leave?
3.04 He left the restaurant walking