Thai food hygiene: Restaurants told to get their act together or face fines of 50K next month

[Surasak]

There is a "restaurant" just up the road from my place, quite frankly I wouldn't feed my dog from there. I am quite sure even the rats give it a wide birth.

[kcpattaya]

'nough said...

Another throw at the limelight.

[tandor]

...I've got a feeling these threats have been said before...but don't quote me!

[natway09]

There should be at least annual inspections by qualified Health Dept Inspectors

I happen to have a degree in Hygiene & overall it needs another shake up.

Got better about 8 years ago but it must be so tempting just to slip the envelope into your back pocket.

The other two  needing massive attention is "proper grease traps" along with the regular mainenance required clean on a regular basis

Rats. At our apartment I have offered to rid them of 100 rats in the first 2 days.

They will not let me do it.

The BMA never try

[Andy from Kent]

49 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

if i take a short cut to my apartment building i pass through small sois where street vendors store their carts. i see dogs, cats and rats freely running over the carts. i see the local drunks and homeless using the carts to sit on or put/spill their beer, food, etc on. i have never, ever seen a vendor wash or clean their cart before taking it out to use for the preparation and service of food.

 

 

 

 

How do you like their food?     ????????

 

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, CapeTown said:

If spas need an annual license then so should restaus.

Restaurants are licensed and inspected yearly. They come and do swab tests on the staff and the buildings.

 

I just spoke to someone who operates a licensed and registered restaurant (a Thai) and she's never heard of this measure which was supposedly announced 2 years ago.

[wotsdermatter]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

smarten up their cleanliness of face

This part of the article could well cause problems.

'nuf sed

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, acting department chief, said that since new health ministry regulations were issued in 2018 all restaurants were supposed to report for training by the end of 2020

As much chance of that happening as I have of pronouncing his name correctly....

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, ChrisKC said:

This is the price they have to pay for all the years being able to operate in environments that are cheap to run as in many cases no actual premises are involved, and ignoring basic health standards.

Thais can't afford hygiene, eat for 30 baht and take your chances, out on the road.

Enclosed/open restaurants should be monitored with a minimum standard set.

[Petchou]

There is serious issue of hygiene not only regarding food.  Even the public space and in front of private houses.    You can't compare to Malaysia as an example.

[wotsdermatter]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Thai's dont know about refrigeration they will take it out of a freezer let it defrost then put it back in the freezer

That is a generalisation.  Many Thais do know about refrigeration but it is impossible to take a refrigerator or freezer to a street market.  Also, food can be defrosted then returned to the freezer if there are still ice crystals in the produce.  What happens when nearly defrosted food is returned to the freezer is that the product refreezes and the water content expands the meat or vegetables and the result is that the produce become soften when defrosted for a second time.  When I taught cookery in Thailand the first things they were taught were all about hygiene and food control, including storage in and/or out of refrigeration and food prep. came later.

'nuf sed.  plamuk aka travellingchef

[jaiyen]

I built restaurant kitchens for many years and one of the filthiest ones in Perth was also one of the most popular and very expensive. The kitchen was disgusting. One advantage in Thai kitchens is that much of the food is stir fried. However thats no guarantee as cleanliness is the most important thing. Almost impossible to maintain. Chinese restaurants are the most filthy I have ever seen and Indian ones the best on average,

[metisdead]

A troll post has been disappeared. 

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, peterdarby said:

Nice timing, hit them up while they are still recovering from the lost income during lockdowns.

 

Or, they could report for training in how not to poison their customers, as requested by the authorities. If they don't care then maybe they shouldn't be in business, don't you think?

[UTH001]

1 hour ago, HarrySeaman said:

I have eaten Thai street food with only three problems in 20 years. 

 

The first time it made me sick was when a bus stopped at a food court and even though I knew better I chose a dish from an unheated display of dishes, food that had probably been sitting there for hours.  The only reason I chose it is because the soup seller wasn't at his booth.  Later that day I wished I had gone hungry.

 

Thai street food made me sick twice more when I ate som tam (papaya pok pok) because my wife got that for us.  The first time it had a crab in it, which is normal.  The next time no crab but I'm sure the mortar and pestle weren't cleaned between uses.  After that my wife made our som tam at home using clean equipment and we both enjoyed it many times sans crabs and sans multiple visits to the toilet.

 

The only other time Thai food has made me sick was from one of the supposed best Thai restaurants in Bangkok.  I'll never return to that restaurant.

 

For the last 15 years I have stuck with Thai street food and selected small Thai restaurants where I can see the food being cooked and I have never had a food poisoning problem of any kind.

 

Personally I think a lot of the problems farangs encounter is because they are such cleanliness freaks.  If they were a little less clean they would be exposed to more types of bacteria and build up defenses against them.  The healthiest children are those raised on farms where they are exposed to all sorts of dirt, animals, and animal excrement. 

 

I fully agree with you and in all my years here, nothing much apart from a bit of an upset stomach from time to time. Which I am not complaining about, the heat etc does not help. I also buy my food at the local market from a lady who prepares everything fresh there and then, never had any problem.

But did have a MAJOR problem (horizontal for a full day) while going to a big BBQ place in Nakhon Sawan. More than 200 people eating there, but the shrimp must have been pretty off. And those are the places that definitely should practice good food hygiene, and some do not! But how do you prove that you got food poisoning from a particular place? And what good does it do anyway?

 

[toolpush]

2 hours ago, NE1 said:

It gets boring doesn't it , more rules and regs. with nobody enforcing them .

 

Absolutely spot on!

[lavender19]

I hold a level 3 advanced  hygiene certificate from when I was head chef in the UK. This allows me to train staff in basic health and hygiene. Do you think they would know what that is? Doubt it  very much

That no good not do half a job like Thai way

[digger70]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, acting department chief, said that since new health ministry regulations were issued in 2018 all restaurants were supposed to report for training by the end of 2020.

What did they expect ,that they actually would report? 

That's asking a bit much isn't it.

If they ain't dragged by the scruff of their neck you won't see one.

[toolpush]

2 hours ago, HarrySeaman said:

I have eaten Thai street food with only three problems in 20 years. 

 

The first time it made me sick was when a bus stopped at a food court and even though I knew better I chose a dish from an unheated display of dishes, food that had probably been sitting there for hours.  The only reason I chose it is because the soup seller wasn't at his booth.  Later that day I wished I had gone hungry.

 

Thai street food made me sick twice more when I ate som tam (papaya pok pok) because my wife got that for us.  The first time it had a crab in it, which is normal.  The next time no crab but I'm sure the mortar and pestle weren't cleaned between uses.  After that my wife made our som tam at home using clean equipment and we both enjoyed it many times sans crabs and sans multiple visits to the toilet.

 

The only other time Thai food has made me sick was from one of the supposed best Thai restaurants in Bangkok.  I'll never return to that restaurant.

 

For the last 15 years I have stuck with Thai street food and selected small Thai restaurants where I can see the food being cooked and I have never had a food poisoning problem of any kind.

 

Personally I think a lot of the problems farangs encounter is because they are such cleanliness freaks.  If they were a little less clean they would be exposed to more types of bacteria and build up defenses against them.  The healthiest children are those raised on farms where they are exposed to all sorts of dirt, animals, and animal excrement. 

Like you, I have been eating Thai street food, restaurant food, fast food, all kinds and have had food poisoning 3 times in 30 years in Thailand. Once at the most expensive fish restaurant on walking street (fish), once at an American fast food chicken joint which shall go un-named (chicken burger) and once at one of the top of the line restaurants in Pattaya. (Shrimp) Note that I have never had a problem with Thai restaurants, street food, food courts. I reckon that on the whole Thai cooks and chefs are relatively clean and careful. I have lived in other countries where I would get the "trots every other day, but not Thailand.

[connda]

They should probably start with some globally franchised chains.  I've had food poisoning twice in Thailand.  We won't name names, but suffice to say both were globally franchised fast-food chains. 
I've never been sick from eating in a Thai restaurant or eating street food. And that's over a 13 year period of time during which I've only lived here.

Looks like Thailand is starting to cram their foot into the door of nanny-statism where they can start regulating then charging money for licensing, and inspections, and generally get in the way of free enterprise at the small business level.  And what great timing. 

"I'm an important minister and you all are my subjects.  Now dance for me commoners, dance!" 
In a nutshell. 

Edited November 27, 2020 by connda

[claynlr]

This is a joke right???   I live up country and wash all dishes myself and clean my home. Thai peps do keep their body’s clean but EVERYTHING else , is NASTY!

[hugocnx]

6 hours ago, peterdarby said:

Nice timing, hit them up while they are still recovering from the lost income during lockdowns.

There was a time span of almost two years for them to get their act together. What is mañana in Thai?

[Elkski]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Wattanayingcharoenchai

Is this one of those names modified to sound thai and hide his  family's  recent immigration from  China? 

 

 

It is amazing  how poor the  food prep, cleanliness,  and temperature storage is.  And the flies on these drying fish and market meat is disgusting.    Gf seems to get sick once a month.  The runs or reaction from to much msg.  She says can not buy raw  chicken unless first thing in the morning.     Also look at Big C meat and seafood in big bins  and piles  for self service and no refrigeration.   Seafood sometimes iced down some

Edited November 27, 2020 by Elkski

[The Now Factor]

I haven't had a problem with street food stalls from Krabi to Chang Mai,Chang Rai and points between.Of course one has to use some discretion in choosing which one to visit.

[Kildonan]

3 hours ago, anchadian said:

It's not just restaurants, takeaway street food also needs cleaning up.

 

One wonders how much sodium and msg (which I mentioned in another thread) they throw into these takeaway meals and still some of these stalls don't use gloves to prepare food.  Disgusting.

MSG in Thai food has put me in ICU to have my heart defibbrillated 4 times. Gave me Atrial Fibrillation. (heart beating out of synch, and fast). 

[bimmerbob]

3 hours ago, NE1 said:

It gets boring doesn't it , more rules and regs. with nobody enforcing them .

 

 

....yes, enforcing is the key.

it could be initiated with a simple incentive scheme for the enforcers......not only would this start to move the 'system' away from the brown envelopes, but will ultimately bring some respect within the civil service......

[Ventenio]

the oil is so bad and i definitely get acid reflux....but that could be if it's spicy.  i don't blame them for that, i know better.

 

never eat seafood if i can't see the sea.

 

problem is......pollution, bad food, stomach issues can last for a long time....you THINK it's one thing, but it might be something else.

 

Like I thought I got a bad can of Sprite because it hurt to use the bathroom, but then I remembered that lady I met at 2 a.m. sleeping under the tree...and..ah....lol

[ukrules]

16 minutes ago, Kildonan said:

MSG in Thai food has put me in ICU to have my heart defibbrillated 4 times. Gave me Atrial Fibrillation. (heart beating out of synch, and fast). 

This has never happened to me, you appear to have a life altering allergy there.

[bunnydrops]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

I built restaurant kitchens for many years and one of the filthiest ones in Perth was also one of the most popular and very expensive. The kitchen was disgusting. One advantage in Thai kitchens is that much of the food is stir fried. However thats no guarantee as cleanliness is the most important thing. Almost impossible to maintain. Chinese restaurants are the most filthy I have ever seen and Indian ones the best on average,

I am with you on that. I did many restaurant remodels in the US. Disgusting. Move a prep table or a stove that hasn't been moved in years.

In my travels in 3rd world countries I have gotten sick in higher end restaurants more times than from eating at street stalls.

[Tchooptip]

The newcomer who goes to a public market and sees sold pork meat placed on cardboard without any protection or the slightest refrigeration by more than 30 degrees centigrade if it is not an old timer he may not understand the  hygienic rules of this country...but from time to time they chase the flies it is necessary to do them this justice????