Can't Eat Thai Food

[tutsiwarrior]

mr Scamp, re: the big three oh, reflect a bit then chill. All of us were young and questioning our relative success and failure at your age. Don't let it compromise your appetite. The best way to deal with uncertainty is to view it for what it is (usually nothing to be concerned about) and look for a way forward. As a young man you still have plenty of choices. I didn't become a US BSME degree qualified engineer until I was 35 years...never worried too much as the way forward offered a lot more than worrying about my future.

Hang in there dude...you will find that you have more strength in your times of doubt than you expected...

[eric1000]

I don't have any cooking facilities, not even a kettle - though I have a microwave in my apartment.

I haven't lost my appetite for food in general, I'm starving as I type but I know I couldn't face most of what's out there - though most of it's packed away now anyway.

have you tried a blowout meal at Jools Restaurant ? Large UK type meals , you wont feel hungry after the snake & Pigmy Pie wih vegs ...

lay off the beer and snack bars if you do eat them ...

[Boon Mee]

One man's meat is another's poison - that's for sure but I certainly wouldn't hang around Thailand if I hated the food, heat etc as bad as some of the posters here claim to.

Man, the seafood is great, the girls beautiful and it never snows!

[Up2U]

I don't have any cooking facilities, not even a kettle - though I have a microwave in my apartment.

I haven't lost my appetite for food in general, I'm starving as I type but I know I couldn't face most of what's out there - though most of it's packed away now anyway.

have you tried a blowout meal at Jools Restaurant ? Large UK type meals , you wont feel hungry after the snake & Pigmy Pie wih vegs ...

lay off the beer and snack bars if you do eat them ...

But a Kate & Sidney pie contains the organ that is full of P1SS !

(And usually smells like it).

With a microwave it is possible to make decent food - even a pie (buy frozen pastry, partially cook the meat before adding to the pie, etc.) A little ingenuity can go a long way.

My week-day stay is in a large condo South-East of BKK, with a couple of dozen teachers domiciled (UK, US and Oz/NZ). They seem to survive, even though we have only difficult access to the farang store (Tesco) that is a few clicks up the Bang Na - Trad highway.

Experiment - with food and Thai girls. Change 'em round at frequent intervals.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Well I found some nice donuts yesterday and ended up going home with a bit of this and a bit of that and a bottle of this and a packet of that and for the first time in ages I had a proper sleep - an 8 hour one where I woke up a few minutes before my alarm went off.

I really need to start a new post on job and girlfriend problems because I have a lot to say on the two and I now feel well established and confident enough to share my thoughts and dilemmas with the forum more instead of my usual banter.

Thanks for your comments, especially Tutsiwarrior, 350tourana and Medicinebox.

[NedKelly]

gentleman......you need to improve your financial situation so its not such a problem to eat what u want everyday. Get a simple gas cooker and a cheap pot........you caneasily make pasta......actually u can do it in the Micro as well. Piece of cake. Buy chicken breast fillets and ask the local street stall to cook em up for you with garlic and pepper. then use them in your pasta. Or better still, train the local stall to cook pasta for you. Once you do that she may cook anything for you. You said you were creative........use it !!

[The Gentleman Scamp]

You said you were creative........use it !!

Good point, and I suppose by that rationale I need to eat my words.

Fatigue is also an issue - often confused with laziness, but I can only improve my financial situation by improving my job. My boss commented today on how miserable I looked but she won't be able to replace me until end of August.

If I can get a better paid more enjoyable job and feel secure here, then I will start investing in more furniture and appliances and with any luck I'll find a suitable significant other who won't mind whipping up an omlette for when I return home from my better job.

[ambassador]

You said you were creative........use it !!

Good point, and I suppose by that rationale I need to eat my words.

Fatigue is also an issue - often confused with laziness, but I can only improve my financial situation by improving my job. My boss commented today on how miserable I looked but she won't be able to replace me until end of August.

If I can get a better paid more enjoyable job and feel secure here, then I will start investing in more furniture and appliances and with any luck I'll find a suitable significant other who won't mind whipping up an omlette for when I return home from my better job.

You are suffering from fatigue because your diet is rubbish.

Find some local street food you like and eat that, then you won't be tired and people won't accuse you of being lazy.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Find some local street food you like and eat that, then you won't be tired and people won't accuse you of being lazy. 

I never said that anyone has 'accused' me of being lazy...

As for finding street food that I like, that is what I'm trying to do, that is the subject of this post.

[KevinN]

SCAMP; rice cookers are cheap and easy to use,put in a cup of rice,wash it drain and add 2 cups water a little salt and push the switch, also i bought at a shop,an electric kettle,holds about 4 gts.you can cook just about anything that can be cooked with moisture,boil pasta,which you can get at most stores,cook up a nice beef stew,coarse ya gonna have to boil the beef 4 hrs before you can eat it,or boil up a cut up chicken in an hour,make some dumplings on top of the chicken and broth,and you got a fair meal in one pot.

[Up2U]

If I can get a better paid more enjoyable job and feel secure here, then I will start investing in more furniture and appliances and with any luck I'll find a suitable significant other who won't mind whipping up an omlette for when I return home from my better job.

Remember, for a light, tasty omelette (aux fines herbes) you should whip up the whites of two eggs until almost stiff (you don't want a meringue) and then add the herbs and a little seasoning. Add the yolks last, lightly combine with the other ingredients and drop into a very hot pan with just a smear of oil.

Take the pan off the heat immediately you add the omelette mix, do not turn the omelette but flick the half furthest away from you over the nearer half. (Simple with practice).

I used to earn a living as an omelette chef - working in a window of a restaurant in the West End of London. Little earnings, but great chances to find bed-warmers.

[somtaamgaiyang]

maybe allergy to Monosodium glutamate. I had a very deli belly when I got here, and noticed this stuff at a noodle stand.

Made sure my wife stopped putting in my food and hey presto, no problem. However, many oyster sauces contain it, so food by the road side can be a big problem

[eric1000]

maybe he has intestinal worms , have you checked your stools ?

[tutsiwarrior]

up2U..when in the Perigord region of southern France it appeared that the omelette was the standard version of whole eggs scrambled and tossed about a bit with fungus 'omelette au cepes' prepared by an overweight middle aged woman with no realisation of the magic of her effort. I attempted to kiss her on both (facial) cheeks in appreciation and she chased me out of the little restaurant with a cleaver.

Later while contemplating the midaeval carving over the door of an ancient chapel closeby I relected upon 'omelettes au cepes' and mortality...

[stroll]

I know, if you don't like it, don't post.

But this hypochondriac has pulled a lot of attention for his various ailments, advice and sympathy aplenty, but things only change when another woman turns up to take care of the boy.

Sorry, getting fed up with your whining, G.S.

[DeDanan]

The above advice sounds good though and I will try to get the girlfriend first and then the cooker thing from Tescos. 

Only in LOS could you consider its easier to get a girlfriend than a cooker from tesco

[stroll]

The poor lad is too weak to cook for himself...

[Whitey]

-Get down to Sizzler and ordera decent meal for 200 baht and pig out on the all you can eat salad bar. You will be stuffed when you leave.

-I second the advice on buying vitamins. Us Farangs are different from Thais. Thai food, at least the stuff we can eat, doesn't give us the vitamins we need. Any pharmacy has cheap vitamins, pop one in the morning and one in the evening. It makes all the difference in the world.

-Buy a cheap rice cooker, electric wok, and a slow cooker/crockpot from Tesco. I love putting some chicken, potatoes, and a few seasonings, wait 4 to 6 hours and have the greatest tasting and juiciest meat ever, eat it over rice and you will get full.

-Find the Thai food you like and eat it often. I personally gravitate to Khao Man Gai, Khao Moo Daeng and BBQ w/ sticky rice.

[thatguy]

i think whitey just saved me a lot of typing

an electirc frypan will do in place of a wok, though not as versatile. crockpot cookery is nearly foolproof, just watch when you add the veggies so as not to overcook. fun with food, experiment.

bon ap

tg

[Jockstar]

Are you serious? I have been in many places in the world and tried many different things. too many to name. I find Thai the to be probably the best and healthiest i have tasted. Ok you dont like spicy. But then again some of my Thai friends dont. I suggest if you really want to have some farang food. Buy yourself an electric wok. Not expensive. A kettle(one of those all metal ones with the element hidden) cook some pasta in that. Do some with pasta sauce with mince, garlic, onions and capsicum (readily available in Carrefour) in the wok and hey presto! You've got spag ball. Surely you can master that?

[Jockstar]

You could also buy a bbq for about 300 baht. Some charcoals for 12 baht. A kilo of prawns for 200 baht to 250 and away you go... Trust me you will be stuffed

[Tornado]

Firstly Stroll, I think the gent scamp is needing a "cyber shoulder" and he should be able to ask what he likes on this forum.

By the sounds of it Gent, you need a cuddle and breakfast in bed mate.

By the sounds of your postings, I think your "dead end job" is your major problem, the sleep, the food, the women and the wart are just the tail end of your "shitty life"......

I would suggest you really start looking for other work that is more rewarding to you, both financially and mentally. Post on this forum for work wanted and you maybe surprised what comes up.

I came to Thailand on my 30th Birthday, had no money really to speak of, got a job that paid 10,000 baht per month and was feeling depressed - over the next couple of years here I squirmed around trying to find my niche and generally felt like crap...... After those shitty few years here, I now am married, have my own business, got all the toys and feel good about life.......... My world changed after I changed my thinking!.... that is all it was! I kept closing doors and opening new ones. I would say to you my friend, quit your job in August (as this is when you can be replaced?) and then "go out and do better"......... If your back is against the wall, you WILL succeeed or die trying mate...... For things to change, you must change your outlook and perceive the world to be your own...

Place a few adds online now, tell us what you can do and I bet something comes out of it..... You seem like a good bloke, maybe some of the other expats here might employ you?!

Good Luck with the food as well!

[otherstuff1957]

As others have noted - buy a rice cooker, and electric wok, toaster oven, etc... and behold - you've got an instant kitchen!

While I am perfectly happy eating Thai food most of the time, about once a week or so my lovely wife will cook up some pasta or pork chops or we'll order a pizza. Two days ago she made me a couple of cheeseburgers and homemade frenchfries, using just the wok and ingredients from Big C!

The ingredients for cooking Farang food are readily available in Thailand and that balcony outside your apartment was designed to be used as a kitchen.

[DogNo1]

I agree with Tornado. I think that what you really can't stomach is being stuck professionally. Actually, it is positive that you are having these problems. Your body is trying to tell you to get moving. Start immediately to plan what you will do to improve your professional situation. Whatever degrees or qualifications you need - develop a scheme of how you will get them. It really doesn't matter if you make mistakes. Just keep moving purposefully toward what you think will make you more employable and bring you a higher rate of pay. You'll feel loads better just for making plans and getting moving. Then eventually, you will achieve success in a line of work that will give you security and a decent income. Don't even think of the barriers and difficulties in getting there. Just make your plans and then trust yourself to put one foot in front of the other every day in pursuit of your goal. If my impression is correct, your body is telling you that you deserve better than what you've got. Now you've got to bite the bullet.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I agree with Tornado. I think that what you really can't stomach is being stuck professionally. Actually, it is positive that you are having these problems. Your body is trying to tell you to get moving. Start immediately to plan what you will do to improve your professional situation. Whatever degrees or qualifications you need - develop a scheme of how you will get them. It really doesn't matter if you make mistakes. Just keep moving purposefully toward what you think will make you more employable and bring you a higher rate of pay. You'll feel loads better just for making plans and getting moving. Then eventually, you will achieve success in a line of work that will give you security and a decent income. Don't even think of the barriers and difficulties in getting there. Just make your plans and then trust yourself to put one foot in front of the other every day in pursuit of your goal. If my impression is correct, your body is telling you that you deserve better than what you've got. Now you've got to bite the bullet.

That is very true, I do deserve better than what I have.

Although the insomnia returned this weekend, things have improved and are looking a lot better.

I made some new contacts on my run to Poi Pet who can help me get a better, less exhausting, soul destroying job, and last night - I may, just possibly, have met the girl I've been looking for.

She took me out to get some Thai food i could stomach and she told me she loves to cook and I can get a heating pan for less than 500bht.

Due to the helpful and much appreciated advice of yourself and others, I already knew that, but maybe now I will actually get off my little white arse and buy one.

[ambassador]

I'm pretty sure you can by potatoes in Lotus and Big C, so when you get off your little white arse you can boil them up in chunks and make mashed potato with cheese from Villa mixed in, butter, a little milk and cracked black pepper - have that with a nice pork chop and some peas (if they're available) and Bob's your mothers brother.

Good luck with this girl, if she moves in you could get her to make your potatoes while you're on your way home from your shit job.

[ant1970]

No offence to anyone, but if we all (and many who share this website are) are living in Thailand, I don't quite understand the resistance to Thai food! Part of the Thai culture we all crave (the reason we are all here) is the food. I don't quite understand why farang food is so desired.

Many of us, grew up in the west on quite a high fat diet (US/Europe), the contrast in Thai food (I know some Thai food is also high in fat) cannot be beaten.

I live on a a Thai food diet (Bangkok, Esaan, Northern, Southern styles) and I'm more than satisfied with the food Thailand has to offer. I have a friend from India who is also living in Thailand and he tells me he cannot stomach the idea of "rice" for breakfast and often insists on his bread and eggs dish. Like I said, I don't get it.

Thai people are often "bored" with the Thai food on offer and desire and search for alternatives. I can understand this. But us farangs? (pasta, pizza etc)

Frankly, I am bored of the meat, potatoes and two veg, the standard western staple. Most bland in comparison to Thai food. I regularly eat from the street vendors and the variety of fruit in Thailand has no comparison.

How Thai are you?

[chonabot]

How smug are you?

[The Gentleman Scamp]

How Thai are you?

How Thai am I?

Well let's see, I, like my mother (God rest her soul) was born in the Isle Of Wight, England, and my father was born in Buckinghamshire so how Thai would you say I was?

P.S. I am very at home here and the people are great but the food isn't for me, is that okay Mr "I am so at one with Thailand"?

[Marshy]

scamp ,you have real problems if you are resorting to eating macdonalds !!!  p.s i would eat the offal before macdonalds !!

What's with the Mcdonalds/Burger King thing? I ask because I've heard this befor on this forum. Once a month I get to the neighboring town and for lunch I have a coke, fries, and a small burger/cheese at Mc or Wendys Is the food in thai different---green fries, mad cows---seems to be spelled different to.

After eating a burger =