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.

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Bangkok Street Food first appeared on Smiling Albino.

What’s the Difference between the Loy Kratong and Yi Peng festivals?

smilingalbino — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 03:12:04 +0000

The Smiling Albino team launching a Khom Loy

If there’s one thing that Asia does right, it’s festivals. Celebrations based on the continent’s varied religions, cultures, ethnicities, and histories are rarely boring, never ignored, and always provide an enjoyable, authentic look into the culture. But to Western eyes, some of the festivals bleed together, and it’s sometimes difficult to know where one ends and the other begins.

This is the case with two Thai festivals – Loy Kratong and Yi Peng. To outsiders, they seem almost identical, but like most things in Asia, if you dig a little deeper, there are all kinds of hidden details.

What’s up with Loy Kratong

Loy Kratong’s waiting to be released

Loy Kratong is most certainly one of Thailand’s prettiest, most romantic, and unashamedly beautiful celebrations. You see, Thailand has always been, and continues to be, a culture and country heavily reliant on agriculture, so it’s no surprise that water is important. Back in the day, during the full moon of the 12^th month of the lunar calendar (generally during November on the Gregorian calendar), Thais gave thanks to Phra Mae Kongkha, the goddess of the water, for the previous year’s bounty, and asked her to bless them with a good year ahead.

This was traditionally done with an offering, made by floating (loy) a small raft (kratong), decorated with flowers, candles and incense, into a body of water as a prayer was said. The tradition hasn’t changed too much in the centuries since it’s been recorded, and today Thais make their way to bodies of water in great numbers to float their kratong and say a quick prayer for good luck. In addition to this, paper lanterns in the thousands are released into the sky, which makes for a gorgeous scene, and even better pictures. Of course, parades, fireworks, and copious amounts of food are included.

The reason many people merge these two celebrations together is that the Yi Peng festival takes place only a few days before Loy Kratong. It’s nothing more than a coincidence though, because they come from very different backgrounds.

The Thing about Yi Peng

Hoping for good luck!

Hundreds of years ago (13^th – 18^th centuries), before Thailand was Thailand, the northern part of the country was known as the Kingdom of Lanna (The Kingdom of One Million Rice Fields), and they had their own culture, their own calendar, and their own festivals. It was here that Yi Peng originated, some say as a Brahman festival to celebrate the coming of the cool season, and was observed on the full moon of the second month of the Lanna calendar, which was different from the Thai calendar.

Launching Lanterns

But while those celebrating Loy Kratong float rafts for good luck and let lanterns go for fun, Yi Peng celebrants are all about the lanterns, called khom loy. In fact, a quick Google image search for ‘Yi Peng’ will show you just how many lanterns we’re talking about here – it’s incredible. In addition to the floating lanterns, locals also decorate temples, houses and other buildings with a variety of different lanterns, bathing many streets in warm candlelight. Most people celebrating Yi Peng will head to their local temple to make merit as well.

Both of these festivals are held across Thailand, but it’s in Bangkok, Sukhothai and Chiang Mai where the celebrations are most intense. Visitors during this time of year are welcome to take part in both festivals, and it’s a great – and very beautiful – way to get a little bit closer to the amazing culture and history of Thailand

The post What’s the Difference between the Loy Kratong and Yi Peng festivals? first appeared on Smiling Albino.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Bangkok Street Food​