Street Food

[zorro1]

When I first arrived here I avoided street food all together however after having a few Thai G/fs I started to dabble a little and now its a large part of my diet. How often if ever do you eat it?

Edited April 20, 2008 by zorro1

[rixalex]

Almost every day and the funny part is that the dirtiest establishments that harbor a large proportion of the local rodent and cockroach community, often seem to serve up the tastiest meals, especially when it comes to Isaan cuisine. So where as back home a good restaurant can be identified buy the large number of diners, here just look out for vermin.

[Beardog]

All The time . When I lived in Pattaya the carts along with the fruit carts were delicious. We moved to Bang Sare & the food is motobiked in carts & still enjoy the good grinds. Only got Hep A once in Cambo....So can never get it again.

the food seems healthier here than the U.S.

[peter991]

It's tasty, it's cheap, it's quick. I avoid seafood (mussels mainly - which have been in the sun for a few hours) and those glazed donuts (do they really classify as Street Food?)

Peter

[zorro1]

Yep I draw the line at seafood unless its steamed on Pattaya beach. No insects either but I don't mind the dried or is it bbq? frog with a few beers

Edited April 20, 2008 by zorro1

[soundman]

I eat street food everyday.

Haven't had anything more serious than slight tummy rumbles in five years.

Soundman.

[Jockstar]

I eat street food everyday.

Haven't had anything more serious than slight tummy rumbles in five years.

Soundman.

Which you can get anywhere in the world. When i used to live in Bangkok, we(the wife and I) used to eat street food most days. Some of the best food is bought from the people selling by the road. The good thing is that you can usually see them cooking it in front of you. Not like some restaurants that charge more and its cooked out the back.

[TheDon]

I eat street food alot, but wont touch any soups, but I will eat anything grilled or fried. Never had a problem with it. Actuallu I had stomach problems when I ate a grasshopper

[egg6447]

twice a day most days, wife too busy but a brilliant cook, she actualy sells khoa khoa moo at the market, number one too, the packs of sea fish, pond fish and moo skin/craklin. needless to say i rarely eat these things, sick ofem. khoamoo was my favourite dish pre wife days, always off the barrow.

[Kerryd]

I eat quite a bit of "street food". When ever I'm out and about, I pick up various items from various vendors and bring it home (where I can heat it up a bit if required). Never had a problem that I can recall.

I do have concerns once in awhile, especially with the "BBQ" carts with their skewers of Pork, Beef, Chicken and weiners that have been out in the sun for hours, but when ever I have had a "slight" problem, it is more likely from the intake of large quantities of liquid (i.e. alcohol). Might help me to actually eat more from the street carts, especially when out for an evenings fun !

[pampal]

I eat alot of street food, but mostly in Yaowarat

[astral]

Good and tasty.

I have had more stomach upsets from Fast Food joints, than from street vendors.

[Zpete]

When in Bangers, brekkie is always hawker food.

I have my faves near where I always stay in Silom.

Doesn't matter where I stay, even if brekky supplied, I still get up about 0700 and toddle off to hawkers.

Once I had bad dysentry, hadda ovaltine from 7/11 in Patong, neva agin any open drinks.

It lasted 5 days, almost ruined that hol.

Had bad gut ache and shytes once again, in proper cafe on Phuket, but no more.

Street food is good when ya see it steaming or watched it being cooked.

GOFRIT...!!!!!!

[Dakhar]

I eat street food, but stay away from sea food.... but I do that because I don't like sea food to begin with.

[zorro1]

I eat street food alot, but wont touch any soups, but I will eat anything grilled or fried. Never had a problem with it. Actuallu I had stomach problems when I ate a grasshopper

Why no soup? would have thought boiled water the safest bet

[waza]

Yum chicken satay and a beer, what else do you need

[Huey]

I like the Moo Deang (Red Pork) Egg noodles, and the puffy fry bread with green custard and cream, last time I had some on the street a big azz roach crawled up my pants leg and nearly made it to some place it REALLY should NOT be, before I shook it out and fervently stomped on it like it sole money. Damm I was soo disgusted, I HATE roaches ....but I still ate my fry bread

[isabelle17]

I would have to say that some of the best Thai food I have had, I got from the vendors on the street. Never had a problem except one time, when a Thai friend and I bought some sausages from a street vendor. She was fine, but I ended up well, throwing up a lot. Needless to say, I don't eat sausages at all anymore! I eat almost everything else though!

[bonviveur]

This one of things I look forward to when I am Thailand, street food, to me it's one of the reason I would move there in a heart beat. To be able to eat so good and so cheap is a dream come true, thanks to my good stomach I have yet to even feel the slight rumble.

Where else can you get a delicious noodle after a night out sitting on a small plastic chair that can barely support my weight with motor bike, ladies, not quite ladies, you smile at someone and you get one back ten fold.

God I miss the place.

[PadThaiGuy]

The food is often good and safe. It's the gutter washed plates and utensils to avoid.

[wilko]

All the time.....

Most of the arguments against street food are fallacious and based on prejudice rather than a serious look at what's going on or how we get sick from food and drink.

Edited April 21, 2008 by wilko

[grantbkk]

All the time.....

Most of the arguments against street food are fallacious and based on prejudice rather than a serious look at what's going on or how we get sick from food and drink.

I do get prejudice when I pee out my rear end. I would only eat street food if I was bound up. I continue my additional prejudicial life style against the dreaded device that you put up there to get the load out.

Back to the real world. In developed countries they have adopted public health standards which helps prevent us from harming ourselves. They try to reduce bad bacteria through hygiene and refrigeration. This is very basic and not widely practiced here. Hot water is nonexistent in the street so lets forget about that. Take 10 minutes at a busy stall and watch how the food is handled. The preparers and servers will from time to time shove half of there hand up their respective noses to recover a hard piece of mucus left over from childhood. Watch them as they handle the utensils and where they set them when not in use. Watch them make a valiant attempt to wash and rinse any dishes and flatware from previous customers. Keep in mind that even if the food cart personnel are hygienic the customer base may not be. Watch all of the people around the cart touching everything including their eyes and mouth while scratching their rear ends because no toilet paper was available the last time they dumped which was probably the day before.

I admit I'm a little germophobic but I am also heathy. As others have mentioned they steer clear of the seafood for the simple reason that it breaks down faster than other food and should require refrigeration. I don't see how anyone can eat the meat skewers sitting out in the hot sun for who knows how long. When I see the new arrivals from Western Europe digging into their first street food experience I know I will not see them for 3 days secure in the knowledge that they have destroyed 20 to 25 percent of their vacation experience. There is something positive to be said for those new antibodies we now all have. I guess it's true, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

[zorro1]

I must say I do enjoy those chicken livers on stick. The longer they are left out the better especially when infused with liberal doses of diesel fumes. You really cant get that flavour when buying fresh offal from foodland. Actually its lunch time now so Im going cart scouting

[wilko]

All the time.....

Most of the arguments against street food are fallacious and based on prejudice rather than a serious look at what's going on or how we get sick from food and drink.

I do get prejudice when I pee out my rear end. I would only eat street food if I was bound up. I continue my additional prejudicial life style against the dreaded device that you put up there to get the load out.

Back to the real world. In developed countries they have adopted public health standards which helps prevent us from harming ourselves. They try to reduce bad bacteria through hygiene and refrigeration. This is very basic and not widely practiced here. Hot water is nonexistent in the street so lets forget about that. Take 10 minutes at a busy stall and watch how the food is handled. The preparers and servers will from time to time shove half of there hand up their respective noses to recover a hard piece of mucus left over from childhood. Watch them as they handle the utensils and where they set them when not in use. Watch them make a valiant attempt to wash and rinse any dishes and flatware from previous customers. Keep in mind that even if the food cart personnel are hygienic the customer base may not be. Watch all of the people around the cart touching everything including their eyes and mouth while scratching their rear ends because no toilet paper was available the last time they dumped which was probably the day before.

I admit I'm a little germophobic but I am also heathy. As others have mentioned they steer clear of the seafood for the simple reason that it breaks down faster than other food and should require refrigeration. I don't see how anyone can eat the meat skewers sitting out in the hot sun for who knows how long. When I see the new arrivals from Western Europe digging into their first street food experience I know I will not see them for 3 days secure in the knowledge that they have destroyed 20 to 25 percent of their vacation experience. There is something positive to be said for those new antibodies we now all have. I guess it's true, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

QED - only half the argument and a lot of unsubstantiated assumptions and assertions....you really need to take some time out and think about how the food gets to be contaminated and how that is transmitted to yourself.

you also need to think about how you contract "the shits" and re-think where you REALLY caught it. steering clear of street -food is certainly not a guarantee against food poisoning in THailand - in fact the alternatives are often the higher risk.

[rick75]

Been to LOS a few times and ate street food the whole time and not once got sick, last trip got back to Australia and was crook from the McDonalds at home for the next 4 days. As a side note told my local Gp that i am a regular traveller to LOS and that should I get HepA/b shots he said yes but said you have as much chance of picking up Hep A in Australia as you do in LOS.

[grantbkk]

All the time.....

Most of the arguments against street food are fallacious and based on prejudice rather than a serious look at what's going on or how we get sick from food and drink.

I do get prejudice when I pee out my rear end. I would only eat street food if I was bound up. I continue my additional prejudicial life style against the dreaded device that you put up there to get the load out.

Back to the real world. In developed countries they have adopted public health standards which helps prevent us from harming ourselves. They try to reduce bad bacteria through hygiene and refrigeration. This is very basic and not widely practiced here. Hot water is nonexistent in the street so lets forget about that. Take 10 minutes at a busy stall and watch how the food is handled. The preparers and servers will from time to time shove half of there hand up their respective noses to recover a hard piece of mucus left over from childhood. Watch them as they handle the utensils and where they set them when not in use. Watch them make a valiant attempt to wash and rinse any dishes and flatware from previous customers. Keep in mind that even if the food cart personnel are hygienic the customer base may not be. Watch all of the people around the cart touching everything including their eyes and mouth while scratching their rear ends because no toilet paper was available the last time they dumped which was probably the day before.

I admit I'm a little germophobic but I am also heathy. As others have mentioned they steer clear of the seafood for the simple reason that it breaks down faster than other food and should require refrigeration. I don't see how anyone can eat the meat skewers sitting out in the hot sun for who knows how long. When I see the new arrivals from Western Europe digging into their first street food experience I know I will not see them for 3 days secure in the knowledge that they have destroyed 20 to 25 percent of their vacation experience. There is something positive to be said for those new antibodies we now all have. I guess it's true, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

QED - only half the argument and a lot of unsubstantiated assumptions and assertions....you really need to take some time out and think about how the food gets to be contaminated and how that is transmitted to yourself.

you also need to think about how you contract "the shits" and re-think where you REALLY caught it. steering clear of street -food is certainly not a guarantee against food poisoning in THailand - in fact the alternatives are often the higher risk.

No assumptions on my part. Everything I wrote is common knowledge and has been in the west for more than a century. I can say that common sense is not really that common. As you say, steering clear of street food does not guarantee you will not get sick but it is a good beginning. You are right by saying that higher risk may exist in alternatives to the street food. Many people don't think about what they cannot see in those kitchens behind closed doors. Buyer beware. This stuff usually doesn't kill you it is just a bit unconfortable for a while.

[steveromagnino]

The food is often good and safe. It's the gutter washed plates and utensils to avoid.

how fitting to come from PadThai guy ;-)

Indeed the plates, glasses etc are not exactly that well washed; they don't have running water for the most part.

However, I eat it almost every night for dinner and just buy then take home. Way better than what I could cook at 1/2 the price.

Everything is fair game.

I've had food poisoning badly before....in USA and NZ. But not really so much here.

[wilko]

All the time.....

Most of the arguments against street food are fallacious and based on prejudice rather than a serious look at what's going on or how we get sick from food and drink.

I do get prejudice when I pee out my rear end. I would only eat street food if I was bound up. I continue my additional prejudicial life style against the dreaded device that you put up there to get the load out.

Back to the real world. In developed countries they have adopted public health standards which helps prevent us from harming ourselves. They try to reduce bad bacteria through hygiene and refrigeration. This is very basic and not widely practiced here. Hot water is nonexistent in the street so lets forget about that. Take 10 minutes at a busy stall and watch how the food is handled. The preparers and servers will from time to time shove half of there hand up their respective noses to recover a hard piece of mucus left over from childhood. Watch them as they handle the utensils and where they set them when not in use. Watch them make a valiant attempt to wash and rinse any dishes and flatware from previous customers. Keep in mind that even if the food cart personnel are hygienic the customer base may not be. Watch all of the people around the cart touching everything including their eyes and mouth while scratching their rear ends because no toilet paper was available the last time they dumped which was probably the day before.

I admit I'm a little germophobic but I am also heathy. As others have mentioned they steer clear of the seafood for the simple reason that it breaks down faster than other food and should require refrigeration. I don't see how anyone can eat the meat skewers sitting out in the hot sun for who knows how long. When I see the new arrivals from Western Europe digging into their first street food experience I know I will not see them for 3 days secure in the knowledge that they have destroyed 20 to 25 percent of their vacation experience. There is something positive to be said for those new antibodies we now all have. I guess it's true, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

QED - only half the argument and a lot of unsubstantiated assumptions and assertions....you really need to take some time out and think about how the food gets to be contaminated and how that is transmitted to yourself.

you also need to think about how you contract "the shits" and re-think where you REALLY caught it. steering clear of street -food is certainly not a guarantee against food poisoning in THailand - in fact the alternatives are often the higher risk.

No assumptions on my part. Everything I wrote is common knowledge and has been in the west for more than a century. I can say that common sense is not really that common. As you say, steering clear of street food does not guarantee you will not get sick but it is a good beginning. You are right by saying that higher risk may exist in alternatives to the street food. Many people don't think about what they cannot see in those kitchens behind closed doors. Buyer beware. This stuff usually doesn't kill you it is just a bit unconfortable for a while.

What you are saying is only HALF the story....and you ARE making assertions and assumptions about people you don't know eating street food.

As I said you need to look at the process by which the bacteria that cause food poisoning get a grip on your digestive tract...that is from the stall to your arse.

Also the idea of "common knowledge" is not a good idea to base any judgment on as a lot of it is not accurate.

Another thing to bear in mind is the this is NOT THE WEST and cooking methods here have grown up over thousands of years to cope with the climate and environment...so methods that would apply in the west (like the dependence on refrigeration and the ubiquitous "chill serve") do not necessarily work as well here in the tropics where they have learned to prepare food in a hot and humid atmosphere that "common sense" dictates is a perfect climate for most food poisoning.

Edited April 21, 2008 by wilko

[dsys]

No assumptions on my part. Everything I wrote is common knowledge and has been in the west for more than a century. I can say that common sense is not really that common. As you say, steering clear of street food does not guarantee you will not get sick but it is a good beginning. You are right by saying that higher risk may exist in alternatives to the street food. Many people don't think about what they cannot see in those kitchens behind closed doors. Buyer beware. This stuff usually doesn't kill you it is just a bit unconfortable for a while.

This is one of the reasons we decided to live in Thailand while our kids were young - the western environment is so sterile. Get as much exposure to all these "bugs" when you are young and you'll have a great immune system for when you are older.

Street food is great. It tastes good but the best bit is sending home photos of the kids eating all sorts of bugs. As a five year old I got grounded for eating worms etc but here you can do it in public and they even charge you for it.

But seriously -

I used to baulk at the idea of no refigeration etc. then I thought about it - the supply chain here is too short to merit it, animals killed and eaten within a few hours/days. In the west the supply chain is a lot longer and refrigeration is needed - pick up a pack of pork at Tescos and you'll be lucky if its a week old.

As for the untensils (plates etc) there is a lot of room for improvement in this area but it does not seem to bother a load of Thais so perhaps we are missing out the benefit/protection of a side serving of feces.

[Jefferson]

Yep I draw the line at seafood unless its steamed on Pattaya beach. No insects either but I don't mind the dried or is it bbq? frog with a few beers

Whoa. Personally I eat everything from road side vendors, including seafood which is mostly kept on ice and/or in a cooler box. But I DONT take seafood from beach vendors in places like Pattaya.. those people are part of the imported Cambo/Burmese crowd to hawk just about anything around to tourists, not people who's vocation and talent it is to provide tasty and clean food and who operate a shop or stall relying on return business or, heck, their customers staying alive so they'd return. :DPlus I've seen them prepare it in the back sois and I think I'll pass.

Additionally, when I'm in Pattaya it's usually to make the most of a short visit, and this is one special time when I want to make 10000000% sure not to be out of the game and on the toilet!!!!!

Edited April 21, 2008 by Jefferson