Food Poisoning

[richard10365]

I recently visited Hua Hin for the first time. I ate some shell fish and crabs at a sea side cafe at Takiap on Thursday. For the last 2 or 3 days I have had fever, chills, diarrhea and head aches. I'm going to the doctor today to let him tell me eating there was a mistake.

I just thought I would put out a little warning. Be careful eating shellfish and crabs in Hua Hin. I don't believe one incident should condemn the seafood industry in Hua Hin to a boycott rather, for the next month or so, be more selective where you eat. There seems to be some tainted shellfish crawling around the ocean floor in that part of Thailand.

Another thought, after living in Chiang Mai for more than 2 years, Hua Hin people are not very friendly.

[The Vulcan]

I recently visited Hua Hin for the first time. I ate some shell fish and crabs at a sea side cafe at Takiap on Thursday. For the last 2 or 3 days I have had fever, chills, diarrhea and head aches. I'm going to the doctor today to let him tell me eating there was a mistake.

I just thought I would put out a little warning. Be careful eating shellfish and crabs in Hua Hin. I don't believe one incident should condemn the seafood industry in Hua Hin to a boycott rather, for the next month or so, be more selective where you eat. There seems to be some tainted shellfish crawling around the ocean floor in that part of Thailand.

Another thought, after living in Chiang Mai for more than 2 years, Hua Hin people are not very friendly.

Sorry to hear about your ailment and hope you recover

Glad you enjoyed yourself here - feel free to return any time

Edited October 20, 2008 by The Vulcan

[hhfarang]

Richard,

Sorry to hear you got sick. I've been here four years and I've had several mild cases of food poisoning and a couple of more serious ones. It happens in every country that doesn't have the cleanliness standards of the more affluent countries. I don't let it discourage me and still keep eating Thai food at street stalls and beach restaurants.

The worst case of food poisoning I've ever had in my life (almost died) was several years ago about an hour after eating a fast food burger in the United States, so it can happen anywhere.

I would like to hear more detail on the last comment you made about people in Hua Hin not being friendly. I'm not saying you're wrong, I would just like to hear more about the experiences that led you to that conclusion.

[richard10365]

About the unfriendlies, when we were leaving, we were walking down the main road that heads to Bangkok. We were looking for one of them vans to Bangkok type business that someone told us about. While it was nice of one person to help us out, the instructions were not that clear. So we had to stop again.

I suppose we asked for help from someone who was having a bad day. Because the first person we spoke to didn't say much she just grunted and made a swinging motion with her arm to indicate we would continue walking in a particular direction.

The second Thai person, my girlfriend said, was quite rude when she asked for directions to the van service.

Maybe I am just spoiled by Chiang Mai. It always feels good to go back to the place you call your home and I should not let a couple of people in Hua Hin make me think all people in Hua Hin are that way.

I also realize food poisoning happens everywhere. But when it comes to shell fish, depending on where they get their catch, it can all be a bit tainted for now. Maybe waiting a month or two will help clean out the bad shell fish. All I am saying is be careful where you eat.......for now.

[hhfarang]

About the unfriendlies, when we were leaving, we were walking down the main road that heads to Bangkok. We were looking for one of them vans to Bangkok type business that someone told us about. While it was nice of one person to help us out, the instructions were not that clear. So we had to stop again.

I suppose we asked for help from someone who was having a bad day. Because the first person we spoke to didn't say much she just grunted and made a swinging motion with her arm to indicate we would continue walking in a particular direction.

The second Thai person, my girlfriend said, was quite rude when she asked for directions to the van service.

Maybe I am just spoiled by Chiang Mai. It always feels good to go back to the place you call your home and I should not let a couple of people in Hua Hin make me think all people in Hua Hin are that way.

I also realize food poisoning happens everywhere. But when it comes to shell fish, depending on where they get their catch, it can all be a bit tainted for now. Maybe waiting a month or two will help clean out the bad shell fish. All I am saying is be careful where you eat.......for now.

Thanks for the explanation Richard. People (especially the Thai people) here are usually friendly while the directions given by any Thai, even when they are going out of their way to be helpful, have been hit and miss all over the country for me.

Maybe you did just catch them at a bad time. I know, my attitude and appearance, as well as my Thai wife's attitude towards other Thais comes into play as well. I'm not saying you or your girlfriend did something to provoke the unfriendliness but this is often the case (especially between Thai women when one is with a foreigner).

I've only been to Chiang Mai twice and indeed people I came in contact with, both foreign and Thai seemed friendly, but that has been my general impression all over the country.

Thanks for the shellfish warning, I'll be careful where I eat it for a while.

[goonerthegooner]

richard 10365,are the you richard that we met in Chaing Mai,that took us too the Italain by the river??.We were staying at the Green Tulip,Myself,Dad and my mate Paul.

Bravo 2 Zero

[PeaceBlondie]

richard, thanks for posting here. Almost my entire family once got hepatitis from shellfish, in Texas. Thanks, too, for not singling out one restaurant, as it could apply to a number of vendors.

I never got sick like from diarrhea in the year I lived in Hua Hin. But last night I got the worst case in many years, from something I suppose I ate in Chiang Mai!

As for friendliness of the natives. I never noticed any difference. My companions down south were usually northern Thais who did not complain about the locals. Maybe luck of the draw. As for van drivers, there was never a shortage of touts downtown, offering rides to BKK. My favorite is Wichai, who really went out of his way for me the day I left HHin without my plane tickets.

[Samuian]

Consider yourself lucky!

Genuine Food poisoning from fish/shellfish will send you to the ICU!

My Doc's family was nearly wiped out by fish poisoning in Spain eating a humble seafood paella!

Diarrhea in the tropics of Asia can be considered an "upset stomach"!

I recently got "Montezuma revenge" having a humble plate of "Kao man gai", the topping ginger/chili sauce was off/over date and I go eat most of the time from the same ladies shop!

[jdinasia]

Food Poisoning can show up anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 days and in Thailand it can come from just about anywhere.

The OP could be correct in thinking he got it from shellfish or crab but then again he could be completely off track.

WebMd.com has a very very good section about food borne illness.

You may become ill with food poisoning after you eat food that contains bacteria, viruses, or other harmful organisms. Most cases of food poisoning follow the same general course.

After you eat a contaminated food, there is an hours-to-days delay before you notice symptoms. The contaminating organism passes through the stomach into the intestine, attaches to the intestinal walls, and begins to multiply. Some organisms stay in the intestine, some produce a toxin that is absorbed into the bloodstream, and others directly invade body tissues. Your symptoms depend greatly on the type of organism that has infected you.

[dkstoney]

If you think they're unfriendly in Hua Hin, don't go to Hawaii.

[Nirvana]

I suppose we asked for help from someone who was having a bad day. Because the first person we spoke to didn't say much she just grunted and made a swinging motion with her arm to indicate we would continue walking in a particular direction.

The second Thai person, my girlfriend said, was quite rude when she asked for directions to the van service.

Maybe I am just spoiled by Chiang Mai. It always feels good to go back to the place you call your home and I should not let a couple of people in Hua Hin make me think all people in Hua Hin are that way.

I also realize food poisoning happens everywhere. But when it comes to shell fish, depending on where they get their catch, it can all be a bit tainted for now. Maybe waiting a month or two will help clean out the bad shell fish. All I am saying is be careful where you eat.......for now.

Thanks for the explanation Richard. People (especially the Thai people) here are usually friendly while the directions given by any Thai, even when they are going out of their way to be helpful, have been hit and miss all over the country for me.

Maybe you did just catch them at a bad time. I know, my attitude and appearance, as well as my Thai wife's attitude towards other Thais comes into play as well. I'm not saying you or your girlfriend did something to provoke the unfriendliness but this is often the case (especially between Thai women when one is with a foreigner).

I've only been to Chiang Mai twice and indeed people I came in contact with, both foreign and Thai seemed friendly, but that has been my general impression all over the country.

Thanks for the shellfish warning, I'll be careful where I eat it for a while.

Maybe a little off topic.

I have the nicest thais with me and she is nice to everyone unless pushed hard and i must say from the north to the south i see huge differences, for us it is sometimes like 2 different countries with the malay influence to southern peoples. A number of times I just cannot believe the differences in way they speak to each other. Of course i talk about deep south here, but for me my experience is not positive all over the country.I knw which i prefer

[PEP]

I recently visited Hua Hin for the first time. I ate some shell fish and crabs at a sea side cafe at Takiap on Thursday. For the last 2 or 3 days I have had fever, chills, diarrhea and head aches. I'm going to the doctor today to let him tell me eating there was a mistake.

I just thought I would put out a little warning. Be careful eating shellfish and crabs in Hua Hin. I don't believe one incident should condemn the seafood industry in Hua Hin to a boycott rather, for the next month or so, be more selective where you eat. There seems to be some tainted shellfish crawling around the ocean floor in that part of Thailand.

Another thought, after living in Chiang Mai for more than 2 years, Hua Hin people are not very friendly.

Richard,

Join the Club! I and several aquaintances have had bad experience with shellfish and crabs at Hua Hin. We joke that it is sponsoered by the local medicos and toilet paper manafacturers, or perhaps, just perhaps, it is the Raw Sewage that is discharged direct into the sea from many of those "Beautiful" highrise buildings that are prolificating? Never any problems with other food from any outlet for the last eight years!

[johnnyk]

I think shellfish is always a bit risky in an unfamiliar environment.

Food poisoing could rsult from poor storage/preparation or just plain toxic shellfish harvested from contaminated waters. I've had food poisoning twice - once near Amalfi, Italy (spaghetti alle vongole) and once in pristine Canada from a buffalo burger.

[regedit]

... the first person we spoke to didn't say much she just grunted and made a swinging motion with her arm to indicate we would continue walking in a particular direction.

The second Thai person, my girlfriend said, was quite rude when she asked for directions to the van service.

A sample size of 2 out of 85,000 probably isn't representative for Hua Hin...