Odds Against Us?

[FaFaHead]

15 minutes ago, neeray said:

The OP started a very active thread that garnered lots of good advice and some "not so good". Why be rude to him/her just because a little preventative thinking and good travel planning was exercised?

Welcome to Thailand FaFaHead.

Thanks friend!

[FaFaHead]

6 minutes ago, jamie2009 said:

Bring Immodium and take care where you eat, guzzi's advice is good, busy stalls are best.

 

It’s wrong to use immodium, if there is some thing your body rejects vomiting or  Diarrhea is the bodies way of getting rid of it, Immodium blocks the system up keeping what ever is in side your body whatever is causing the problem.

i have had the occasion to visit a Doctors over the years with Diarrhea and they wouldn’t prescribe any drugs just drink plenty of water to stop dehydration and what ever you do don’t take Imodium for the reasons I have I said. Hi 

Good point. Thank you!

[Autonuaq]

It is the same gamble as everywhere you can get food poisoning everywhere.

 

For example in the busy area near the bts thong lor where i lived there have been people sick from food poisoning. Just bad luck and most did have had fish products.

 

In general most thai prepare food well like the westerns do.

 

Remember bas news travels fast and is rememberd.

 

More concern is the water you buy , the water despencers and drink despencers. They are know resource for problem and i not hear you about this.

 

The hygenic is also different so wash you hands regualry and avoid touch your face with you hand if you are so concerned.

 

In all the years i have been traveling around i have never had food poisoning or problems.

And if you not trust to can take a change at the 7 eleven or Tesco or Big or Spar.

They also have food that you can use.

 

 

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, nikmar said:

Just as an aside, one thing I have noticed while living here is that I rarely get acid reflux which was a major problem for me in the UK. Im not sure if it's the chilli content (arent they alkaline?). I used to go through antiacid pills like crazy, now it's a very rare occurance.

IMHO Thai food is lower in fat content than many Western foods, and in smaller quantities. Fats and oils in the stomach result in the bile duct and acid-producing cells going into overtime, hence tendency to acid reflux.

[FaFaHead]

On 9/5/2018 at 9:33 PM, Lizard2010 said:

I used to came to Thailand as a tourist 10 years ago

I use to get a little upset stomach

I have lived here permanently for 3 years now

My stomach has settled down i eat both Thai and Western food

I would suggest that you go to places that sell western food first

With plenty of cuatomers

Then gradually start to eat Thai food

Otherwise yo will be using a lot of Imodium tablets

Plus this will make you a little stressed

Just take your time to get acclimatised

Plus there are the expat club that has regular breakfasts and ladies lunches

They can also help steer you in the right direction

I hope this has been off help to you both

 

 

 

Thanks!

[Blackheart1916]

18 years and no problems from the food, street or otherwise. The only hiccup for me has been when combined with way more liquor than is good for me!! 

[FaFaHead]

23 minutes ago, Autonuaq said:

It is the same gamble as everywhere you can get food poisoning everywhere.

 

For example in the busy area near the bts thong lor where i lived there have been people sick from food poisoning. Just bad luck and most did have had fish products.

 

In general most thai prepare food well like the westerns do.

 

Remember bas news travels fast and is rememberd.

 

More concern is the water you buy , the water despencers and drink despencers. They are know resource for problem and i not hear you about this.

 

The hygenic is also different so wash you hands regualry and avoid touch your face with you hand if you are so concerned.

 

In all the years i have been traveling around i have never had food poisoning or problems.

And if you not trust to can take a change at the 7 eleven or Tesco or Big or Spar.

They also have food that you can use.

 

 

Thank you. 

[FaFaHead]

24 minutes ago, Autonuaq said:

It is the same gamble as everywhere you can get food poisoning everywhere.

 

For example in the busy area near the bts thong lor where i lived there have been people sick from food poisoning. Just bad luck and most did have had fish products.

 

In general most thai prepare food well like the westerns do.

 

Remember bas news travels fast and is rememberd.

 

More concern is the water you buy , the water despencers and drink despencers. They are know resource for problem and i not hear you about this.

 

The hygenic is also different so wash you hands regualry and avoid touch your face with you hand if you are so concerned.

 

In all the years i have been traveling around i have never had food poisoning or problems.

And if you not trust to can take a change at the 7 eleven or Tesco or Big or Spar.

They also have food that you can use.

 

 

Thanks!

[FaFaHead]

1 minute ago, Blackheart1916 said:

18 years and no problems from the food, street or otherwise. The only hiccup for me has been when combined with way more liquor than is good for me!! 

LOL!

[Blackheart1916]

1 minute ago, FaFaHead said:

LOL!

I love hot spicy food, but not all food here is like that. If you are not used to spicy but want to try, start mild and slowly increase the heat. If you are going to be living in CM, you will soon find your favourite places and get to know the food. Enjoy the best cuisine in the world! (IMO?)

 

[kokopelli]

FaFaHead, I have been coming to Thailand for 19 years and have lived here full time for the past three years. Everyone I know has had some form of food poisoning sooner or later so be prepared.

Saying that, these cases seem to be from restaurants not food stalls.  The cases ran from diarrhea to serious food poisoning. For me it has been about a once a year occurrence. 

The Dukoral (never heard of it) seems like a good idea .  For a serious case of food poisoning I always have on hand a Z-Pack (azithromycin), available at any pharmacy,  which I take 4 -250 mg tablets at one time. But not if you are vomiting since you would vomit it up.

Bottom line, don't be overly concerned about it, food poisoning can happen anywhere in the world even in developed nations.

[beavenlen]

seems to be many farange on here worring about health issues one way or other, for christ sake ,yeah take care of yourself,but if you spend your whole life worrying, it will not stop the day of judgement. when your numbers called,like it or not that is it . say hello the reaper.

[HHTel]

On 9/6/2018 at 9:11 AM, clokwise said:

30 years in Thailand, the only times I've gotten food poisoning here was from brand-name chain restaurants (which I won't mention here), eating "western" food. I eat Thai food daily however, but rarely do I buy food from the market or food courts because it's low quality and unappealing.

 

It's virtually impossible to pinpoint where food poisoning was caught.  Symptoms can occur several hours after eating but sometimes days, weeks and in very rare cases, years.  Any symptoms that occur in 6 hours or less is not food poisoning but rather a reaction to toxins.  The most common illness is caused by the individual who prepared the food.  Hygiene in the large western chains are second to none but even they can't always control an individual who didn't follow procedures.

I have been here almost 20 years and have never had food poisoning.  I have had 'delhi belly' from time to time but then again so do the locals.

 

[sawadee1947]

More likely to die of pollution than street food 

[Rhys]

As with most food selections... the best guideline.... if you think it is .. then adjust... safe and peace of mind.. all the best.

[Nice Boyd]

On 9/6/2018 at 7:39 AM, Crossy said:

Some people are more suseptible than others, bodies take time to acclimatise to the new bugs in the environment, some never seem to.

 

In close on 30 years living in the Far East I can count the number of time I've had actual food poisoning on the fingers of half a hand. I can count the number of times I've had a galloping gut rot / the trotts on more fingers (and toes) than I have.

 

Bring Immodium and take care where you eat, guzzi's advice is good, busy stalls are best.

Sometimes better to let nature do its course , instead of Imodium 

[CGW]

21 minutes ago, Nice Boyd said:

Sometimes better to let nature do its course , instead of Imodium 

Yep! I worked in the Middle East for a number of years, the food was crap at best, if you take imodium or the like you trap all the bad stuff inside! you need to kill it of and get it out, let the good bacteria be victorious ? I always travel with probiotics, always work for me, your increasing the good bacteria which kills off the poisons!

[keithnchiangmai]

Unlike the US if you do get food poisoning it is extremely easy to take care of. You just go to the pharmacy, they will take your temperature probably, they prescribe you a few pills and that's it: no doctor appointment, no waiting in an office, just quick and efficient treatment. I have gotten food poisoning once and this was my experience. I think the total cost was about $7 .

[TSF]

I only got food poisoning once in 40 years of being in Thailand, and that was from a can of Campbell's soup. I went to the local clinic with terrible stomach pains, I was really in agony, the doc checked me out for appendicitis, ruled that out and concluded it was food poisoning. he have me a shot, he said it was the latest synthetic morphine from the USA, it was glorious, the pain ceased instantly and I laid there in his clinic for a few hours admiring the ceiling until I could go home. 

[Mauiguy]

10 years nearly never. A few runins ( pun intended) with some restaurants. Avoid under cooked chicken, and the clams/ shellfish sometimes dubious. Lived in Mexico and Central America before.  Terrible problem there.

[FaFaHead]

4 hours ago, Blackheart1916 said:

I love hot spicy food, but not all food here is like that. If you are not used to spicy but want to try, start mild and slowly increase the heat. If you are going to be living in CM, you will soon find your favourite places and get to know the food. Enjoy the best cuisine in the world! (IMO?)

 

Thanks. Best prices too!

[FaFaHead]

3 hours ago, CGW said:

Yep! I worked in the Middle East for a number of years, the food was crap at best, if you take imodium or the like you trap all the bad stuff inside! you need to kill it of and get it out, let the good bacteria be victorious ? I always travel with probiotics, always work for me, your increasing the good bacteria which kills off the poisons!

Thank you!

[FaFaHead]

3 hours ago, keithnchiangmai said:

Unlike the US if you do get food poisoning it is extremely easy to take care of. You just go to the pharmacy, they will take your temperature probably, they prescribe you a few pills and that's it: no doctor appointment, no waiting in an office, just quick and efficient treatment. I have gotten food poisoning once and this was my experience. I think the total cost was about $7 .

?

[FaFaHead]

44 minutes ago, Mauiguy said:

10 years nearly never. A few runins ( pun intended) with some restaurants. Avoid under cooked chicken, and the clams/ shellfish sometimes dubious. Lived in Mexico and Central America before.  Terrible problem there.

I think it’s gonna take some time to become acclimated. 

[FaFaHead]

3 hours ago, TSF said:

I only got food poisoning once in 40 years of being in Thailand, and that was from a can of Campbell's soup. I went to the local clinic with terrible stomach pains, I was really in agony, the doc checked me out for appendicitis, ruled that out and concluded it was food poisoning. he have me a shot, he said it was the latest synthetic morphine from the USA, it was glorious, the pain ceased instantly and I laid there in his clinic for a few hours admiring the ceiling until I could go home. 

That’s good to know!

[BritManToo]

On 9/6/2018 at 7:17 AM, FaFaHead said:

I keep coming up against the fact that food poisoning is a very legitimate concern.

The first year I came to Thailand had the runs a few times.

Food poisoning never.

[HHTel]

I think some people are unaware of the difference between 'food poisoning', 'food allergy' and 'food intolerance'.  Food poisoning can take quite a while to kick in and therefore almost impossible to identify the source.  If 6 hours or less after eating, then it's not food poisoning caused by that food but possibly a reaction to a toxin.  Food poisoning is caused by live bacteria which I'm sure you wouldn't find in a can of soup!

[Acharn]

On 9/6/2018 at 7:31 AM, FaFaHead said:

Thanks. I have watched countless videos on market food and it certainly isn’t very sanitary. Seems like it’s a crapshoot. 

In 36 years I have once had a stomachache that I attributed to dried shrimp in a dish in the cafeteria at the Ministry of Commerce. Never had a problem from food anywhere else. Don't know who the people are posting videos on market food, but it doesn't sound truthful to me. Oh, I drink the tap water, too. Unboiled. Since I see occasional stories about students at a school cafeteria suffering food poisoning I believe it happens, but I think it's very rare.

[Russell17au]

I was involved with a Thai woman and we had a small restaurant in a village and we only ever bought our meat and vegetables at the markets as all the vegetables were direct from the farms and the meat was always fresh and direct from the local slaughter house and never frozen and thawed as the market stalls only bought enough for their sales for that day whereas the supermarkets here only sell thawed meat and the bigger restaurants buy in bulk because it is cheaper for them and then some places refreeze the meat which can cause problems. At no time did any of us or any of our customers ever get sick from the food that we sold. One of the big problems in Thailand which is slowly being addressed is the use of certain chemical sprays that are used on the farms.

[HHTel]

2 hours ago, Russell17au said:

I was involved with a Thai woman and we had a small restaurant in a village and we only ever bought our meat and vegetables at the markets as all the vegetables were direct from the farms and the meat was always fresh and direct from the local slaughter house and never frozen and thawed as the market stalls only bought enough for their sales for that day whereas the supermarkets here only sell thawed meat and the bigger restaurants buy in bulk because it is cheaper for them and then some places refreeze the meat which can cause problems. At no time did any of us or any of our customers ever get sick from the food that we sold. One of the big problems in Thailand which is slowly being addressed is the use of certain chemical sprays that are used on the farms.

Quote

According to the CSIRO, it’s perfectly safe to refreeze defrosted meat or chicken or any frozen food as long as it was defrosted in a fridge running at five degrees C or below. The only thing you may compromise is a bit of taste, as defrosted meat can become slightly watery.

Quote

Oh, I drink the tap water, too. Unboiled. 

Here's a strange story but true.  A couple I know both developed Bell's Palsy.  A medical investigation found the only common denominator was that they both drank from the tap!!