Hey all, 

 

I need help with a food translation. I know that the concept of vegetarian/veganism has been around for hundreds of years in Thailand, as it's connected with Buddhist spiritual practices.

 

I don't speak Thai, but is there a concise way of communicating vegan dietary preferences to a Thai person? Basically, how do I ask for food that doesn't contain:

 

1. Meat products, including fish and chicken
2. Meat broths
3. Eggs
4. Dairy
5. Fish sauce or shrimp paste

 

I have been told previously that I could tell the restaurant owner that I'm vegan with, “chan ghin jay” or "gin jae", but would this be widely understood?

 

Thanks for all of your help. I have no problem with this in Chiang Mai, but I'm heading out on a bike trip this weekend and would rather not live on canned beans!

 

Dave

Gin J is safe, and well understood and easily pronounced by you.

 

J as a Chinese buddhist concept is essentially vegan, plus a few other vegetables that they considers detrimental to meditation eg: smelly/pungent ones such as garlic and coriander so you'll be missing out on those vegs 

 

J food has long tradition of mimicking meat with wheat gluten and tofu so expect to find that 

look for yellow flags, there'll be specialist restaurant that display the flag on the foods or even in shops like 7-11 on the microwave meals 

11 minutes ago, digbeth said:

look for yellow flags, there'll be specialist restaurant that display the flag on the foods or even in shops like 7-11 on the microwave meals 

Thanks so much. Do all of those flags mean the same thing? They all designate veggie food?

 

"Gin" is pronounced like the drink? Gin J is widely understood not to include fish sauce, shrimp paste, meat broth, etc? 

 

There's a festival where people go on the 'J' diet for a week and most restaurant will be displaying the sign/flag

 

But in most town there will be at least one restaurant where they practice veganism all year round

 

ask for 'Raan Aharn J' (J restaurant)

You will not get vegan food in a normal Thai restaurant.  Saying “chan ghin jay” or "gin jae" would be considered weird.  Jae food, whilst vegan, is only sold by specialist restaurants and foodstalls.  (Jae food can not be prepared with pots and pans which have been used for non-jae food.)  Unfortunately, jae food, is largely bland, unpalatable slop.

 

The generic term for vegetarian is maŋˑsaˑwíˑrát.  There are a few such restaurants, and they will usually have vegan dishes.  They are not limited by the religious restrictions of jae food, so can use onions, garlic, fresh chilli, herbs and dried spices.  Definitely a step up in taste terms from jae food.

 

Happy Cow is your friend:  https://www.happycow.net/

mangsawirat, when pronounced by westerners and to unsuspecting Thai staff at restaurants can lead to confusion, and OP already states that he doesn't take dairy products also, some shops like bakery will say their products are mangsawirat but contains milk powder or egg

44 minutes ago, digbeth said:

mangsawirat, when pronounced by westerners and to unsuspecting Thai staff at restaurants can lead to confusion, and OP already states that he doesn't take dairy products also, some shops like bakery will say their products are mangsawirat but contains milk powder or egg

 

As I wrote, the generic term for vegetarian [not vegan] is maŋˑsaˑwíˑrát.

Hey,  really interesting thread and great responses.

 

@davidupatterson I read you dont speak Thai. But a good way to help learning the vocabulary you listed and how to use them would be to make a reference for yourself. Eventually, you wont need it.

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much. Do all of those flags mean the same thing? They all designate veggie food?
 
"Gin" is pronounced like the drink? Gin J is widely understood not to include fish sauce, shrimp paste, meat broth, etc? 
 

hard G not soft

yes all flags the same, just different font and chinese equivilent.

Although vegetarianism is intricately linked to Indian Buddhism, it is not so much for Thai Buddhism, Thai buddhism monks receive donated food which is rarely vegan or vegetarian.

It can be somewhat difficult to avoid animal products or to have dishes modified to your tastes. So accepting some meat product like fish sauce in your food will go a long long way. Dont worry this sauce is mostly all gluten, salt, msg, and sugar.

Just learn what dishes don't contain meat,dairy (but will likely contain smal amounts of fish or squid sauce) such as

som tum thai- papaya salad
pad paak boong - stir fried morning glory
pad paak - stir fried veg
pad thai tohu - stir fried noodle with tofu (contains egg)

This will be much more useful than "gin J - Jae"

As other posters mentioned very bland meat imitation food made from soy for vegetarian festival

However when people offer you meat product then you will find useful to tell them that you dont want because you "gin J" = don't eat meat


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