Bangkok Markets | Smiling Albino

A Beginner’s Guide to Bangkok Street Food

smilingalbino — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 02:00:21 +0000

A Beginner's Guide to Bangkok Street Food

We may be biased here, but we think Thai food is some of the world’s best. But no matter how good your local Thai joint is, the best place to find the tastiest, most authentic eats in Bangkok is on the streets.

There are hundreds of dishes, and dozens of varieties of each one – we’ve been here for almost 15 years and we have found some of our favorite street hotspots but are also continually finding new places to grab amazing food on the street.

What the Guidebooks Say

Many guidebooks list dire consequences for eating unsanitary food, and from a western point of view, some street food restaurants look a bit dodgy. But as true fans of Thai food who have eaten at every type of place from five-star hotels to no-star food stalls, that even Google Maps couldn’t find, we can assure you that if you have an adventurous spirit and follow our few simple rules, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Adjustment Period

What you must keep in mind is that you’ll almost certainly have an adjustment period. Even if you’re eating the cleanest food cooked in the most hygienic kitchen in Asia, the water it’s cooked in and the soil it was grown in are different, so some tummy rumbling is not uncommon. Unless you start to feel really sick though, this is not cause for concern. To be extra-safe, eat at food stalls that cook the food when you order it. Stalls that offer trays of pre-cooked food are usually alright, but just to be safe, avoid them when you’re first tucking in.

The First Rule of Street Food

The first rule of Thai street food is: if you see Thais eating there, it’s probably safe – street food vendors rely on regular customers so it’s not in their interests to make people ill! If you see a lot of Thais eating there, it’s probably really good, too. Thais seem to eat nonstop, and some travel miles out of their way to hit their favorite food stall. No matter if you’re jonesing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any manner of snack in between, you’ll find something to satisfy you.

How is Thai Food Cooked?

Most Thai street food is cooked to order in steaming woks, bubbling cauldrons of broth, or smoking grills over red-hot coals. Rice, of course, is a staple, and you’ll find it served with almost every dish. Most meals are eaten “Thai-style” – that is, several dishes on a table, which everyone shares. If you’re sitting at a table with a few Thai friends, remember this before you order!

Table Savvy

On the table you’ll also usually see a selection of condiments, which change based on what you’re eating. These include vinegar with chilies, fermented fish sauce, sweet bean sauce, spicy pastes, chopped peanuts, whole cloves of garlic, and even cups of sugar! And don’t expect no hifalutin cloth napkin either – one singular aspect of Thai street food dining is the single sheets of one-ply tissue on the table. The most common reason is that Thais see a napkin as dirty once it’s used – why use a huge cloth when a little dab will do?

One thing to keep in mind is that unless you’re eating noodles, Thais use a fork and a spoon to eat their food – the fork to push the food on to the spoon, and the spoon to do the rest, so don’t worry if your chopstick game is weak.

Mai Poot Thai

When it’s time to order, most street food stalls – at least the ones near to tourist areas – will usually have a menu with some basic English on it and often even pictures (don’t worry if you see “rice with crap meat,” which should be “crab” – at least they’re trying). If there is no menu, most street kitchens have their ingredients on display in front of the cooking area and a quick glance should give you a pretty good idea of what they’re making. And if there’s any doubt, don’t forget that Thais are friendly! It’s fine to stand in front of a stall to see what’s up. Take a look around you to see what people are eating, and when the time comes, don’t forget the great equalizer – sign language. Start out slowly, accept a bit of help, be a bit adventurous, and soon you’ll be searching further and further afield for more street food adventures. Trust us – it’s a very rewarding pursuit.

Quick Thai Food Words

To help things along, here are a few phrases that might come in handy when ordering:

I don’t want… (mai ow…)

I’m allergic to… (paeh…)

…meat (…neua)

…chicken (…gai)

…pork (…moo)

…beef (…neua)

…shrimp (…koong)

…nuts (…tooah)

Not spicy (mai pet)

Water (nam plao)

Ice (nam kaeng)

Bathroom (hong nam)

…and perhaps most importantly, Beer (beeah)

For more about Smiling Albino’s Thailand adventures, visit our Thailand page.

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Importance of Family – Albino Smiles, April 2014

smilingalbino — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 14:22:13 +0000

Importance of Family

Several weeks ago I was enjoying a few lazy minutes going through my twitter feed (@danbfraser) before getting out of bed in the morning, when I came across a beautiful sunset picture posted by a friend in New York. As I looked out my window and saw the blazing red hues of a new dawn rise over the horizon, I reflected on how she and I were experiencing the same event from opposite sides of the globe.

The same event, similar in so many ways, yet at the same time distinctly different as I was facing East to enjoy my view while my good friend had to look West.

There are parallels in that scene with life in the East and the West. So many things are similar on the surface, but the real material differences are often much more subtle.

One of those subtle differences is the relationship of the individual to the family. Family is often the center of social life in Asian cultures – it’s so pervasive as to be automatic much of the time. In the West we often tend to have to be much more conscious about planning family time.

As we approach the traditional mid-April Thai New Year, known as Songkran,a time of catching up with friends and family as well as to paying respect to elders by gently splashing water on them (actually, it turns into a nationwide water fight, but that’s another story), I’d like to ask you to reflect on your relationship with your family and what you are doing to spend time with them and strengthen the bonds that tie you together.

Just as a new perspective turns a sunset into a sunrise, I would like you to allow Smiling Albino to show you a new perspective on travel. Please send me an email today at dan@smilingalbino.com and let me know how we can immerse you in the Southeast Asian culture to build a new relationship with your family and help you put together a trip that will bring you closer together than ever before. I can promise you a new dawn.

Happy Thai new year!

Daniel Fraser,
Smiling Albino Adventurer-in-Chief

Dan and group on Royal Enfield motorcycles.

Adventure Highlights:

Smiling Albino’s Customized Nepal Grand Slam

This trip was packed full of the incredible, so we can only spotlight a few of the magical activities possible in Nepal.

For starters you can explore the perennial city of Kathmandu on the back of classic Royal Enfield motorcycles including 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you like water try rafting the Seti River in Pokhara from Damauli to a serene riverbank campsite, unreachable by vehicles.

In Pokhara optional activities include leisurely boats ride to the World Peace Pagoda with views of the Himalayas, a visit to Tibetan refugee villages, bike ride around the lakeside, or for the really adventurous try a tandem paraglide with a professional pilot and the new zipline! Plan your trip to Nepal.

Get Dan’s live photo updates on his adventures on his Instagram.

What’s Going On:

Diners enjoy a private meal under the cave lights!

Dinner in a Cave on Halong Bay
We recently just hosted a private group in Halong Bay. This was their last stop in Vietnam and they wanted something extra special. We arranged a magical candle lit cave dinner that we put together as a surprise for them!

Do you have a special moment that you want to celebrate this year? Let us know and we can arrange something special on your trip itinerary. We also know the most romantic place for dinner for two in the bay!

Rendering of the new Peninsula Yangon

Myanmar’s First Peninsula Hotel
Yangon will soon be the home to the first Peninsula Hotel located in the former and soon to be renovated Burma Railway Company headquarters. This luxury hotel brand will be in the central business district of Yangon, in a colonial building from the 1880s. The Peninsula Bangkok Hotel is one of Smiling Albino’s favorite hotel brands, we are waiting anxiously for the opening of this new venture.

Travel with us to Myanmar.

Win a night stay in the amazing Inn a Day Bangkok.

Giveaway to Facebook Fan

We’re about to hit 1,300 Facebook‬ fans and we want to say thank you with a give away to a Bangkok food walking tour and a night stay at Inn a Day Bangkok!

Invite your friends to like our page and stay tuned for more details. www.facebook.com/smilingalbino

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

NEW on Google+ and Pinterest: Now even easier to connect and stay up to date with us!

Contact: Get a hold of us any time.

The post Importance of Family – Albino Smiles, April 2014 first appeared on Smiling Albino.

The low-down on Bangkok’s floating markets

smilingalbino — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 07:06:49 +0000

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

In your research for Thailand, you may have come across an anecdote calling Bangkok the Venice of the East. Well, that was once true, but not so much anymore. Back in the day, Bangkok was veined with canals (called khlongs in Thai) and boats were the primary means of getting around. But over the past 100 or so years, the khlongs and markets beside them have been filled in with cement to build roads, as well as the pylons for the snaking network of highways and tollways that connect the city today.

There are still plenty of places where you can experience Bangkok as it was. There are many, many floating markets that advertise themselves as a unique place for tourists to have a traditional shopping experience, with waterborne commerce rules the day. Although each offers roughly the same thing, there are also quite a few differences you should be aware of. Here’s a breakdown of some of the more popular markets in and around Bangkok.

Taling Chan Floating Market

Taling Chan is one of Bangkok’s western districts, and has traditionally been known for its orchard farms. The floating market here, though not huge, specializes in all kinds of homemade snacks, veggies and grilled seafood, peddled from boats on the water as well as stalls that line the road on either side. It’s a bit of a haul to get here, but it’s a great way to get out of town and see one of the lesser-crowded markets in Bangkok. Bonus: there are still many canals out here that haven’t yet been filled in for road works, and tours are available. See them while you can!

Tha Kha Floating Market

Kwan-Riam Floating Market

This floating market is one of the newest in Thailand, opened to provide an option for people who don’t want to travel too far out of town to find one. It’s in Bangkok’ eastern suburbs but still well within the city limits, along Khlong San Saeb, on which runs the (in)famous Bangkok khlong ferry service. This market’s standout feature – besides a huge selection of food – is its alms rounds for monks, which take place early in the morning on weekends, and sees dozens of monks pass by in boats, accepting offerings from laypeople lining the khlongs.

Wat Sai Floating Market

In Bangkok’s western suburbs, this market was once the place to come for a blast from the past, but development in the area caused it to fall out of favor and it was eventually abandoned. However, in recent years it’s got somewhat of a second lease on life and is now quite popular, mostly for Thais, but also by tour groups, so go early for the best experience.

Tha Kha Floating Market

Mahanakorn Floating Market

This one is located near to Suvarnabhumi Airport east of Bangkok and is open every day, so it’s a good spot for people who don’t have much time and want to get one last stop in before they fly out. Not so much a floating market as a nice little canal-side community, but there are some nice shops lining the khlongs and it’s a quiet, relaxing break from the noise of the airport.

Bang Khu Wiang

If you’re a morning person, then this market is for you. Operating from around 4am – 7am, including a morning alms round by monks, it offers all the favorites of other floating markets – tons of food, few foreigners, and a nice canal-side community feeling. It’s up in Bangkok’s northeast suburbs though, so some planning on the route and perhaps a GPS marker is definitely recommended if you want to tackle it on your own.

Damnoen Saduak

When visitors to Bangkok talk about “the” floating market, it’s usually this one, the granddaddy of all of Bangkok’s floating markets. Not everyone knows just how far away this market is – about 100km southwest of Bangkok in Ratchaburi Province. To be very honest, the market once was an amazing place, but is now so busy with tour buses and minivans and groups of flag-waving tour guides that the onlookers often outnumber the vendors. Still, there are some great photo ops here, and if you’re in the area, there are worse places to stop and grab some food.

Amphawa Floating Market

Tha Kha & Amphawa Markets

These two markets are about 5km apart, and Tha Kha itself is only about 5km from Damnoen Saduak. However, while two of the more popular markets near Bangkok, they still largely retain their old-school charm and traditional qualities. Tha Kha is the smaller of the two, and is open on the weekends as well as various days throughout the month, depending on the lunar cycle. Amphawa is busier and very popular Thai weekenders, but is actually a bustling canal-side community rather than simply a market. Plenty of places to stay, shop and eat – and don’t forget to take a night tour to see the fireflies!

Want more?

Sometimes, the best way to get a feeling for a place is to see photos. Check out our online floating market galleries here.

We’ve also have an entire blog post about Talad Klong Lad Mayom, which is even further down the river from Taling Chan, you can see the story Here

All decided and know where you want to go? Contact us and one of our adventure travel consultants can help you plan the perfect day at the market!

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