Finest Fish To Eat In Thailand?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Nile Tilapia is Pla Nin. Pla Tab Tim is the genetically engineered Frankenfish variety of same that's bigger and pinkish in color, a species copyrighted by the CP Group. I avoid it like the PlaGue.

Consider that some of the most highly prized fish in Thailand are high prized because they're expensive. Some of the ordinary fish actually taste very good and that includes indeed the Pla Nin, Pla Chon and even Pla Dook (Catfish).

If by genetic engineering you mean selective breeding, then yes Tabtim tilapia is the product of selective breeding. Genetic engineering more commonly and correctly refers to the practice of inserting selected genes one species into the dna of another species. This has not been done to my knowlege with tilapia. Selective breeding and crossbreeding has been practiced for as long as man has practiced agriculture. Tubtim is by no means a "frankenfish" and there is no reason to avoid it other than the potential contamination from the meds often used in aquaculture.

Agreed, to some degree; indeed my issue is not so much with the method of arriving at an artificial contraption, but the concept in itself. That you arrive at something that is sterile (won't reproduce) and copyrighted, means that aybody anywhere growing this fish has to start off with buying from CP. I have no tin-foil-hat type issues with genetic breeding versus intensive selective breeding in itself; the former seems just a more direct way to arrive at particular goals than the latter.

[jasreeve17]

Pla Chon (snakehead) just over half a KG would be my favourite. Over a KG loses some flavour...

I do like Sea Bass, which is cheap here, but prefer it cooked French style to the local relatively tasteless (to my palate) cooking style. Used to have it a lot in expensive London restaurants and loved it. In Thailand I prefer Pla Chon from a good Issan retsaurant.

Spanish makeral (big = tasty...) is my favourite sea fish, along with tuna.

[IanForbes]

Pacu while Characins are not pirhana. Pacu are chiefly vegitarian. Pirhana are most definitely not vegitarian.

True. Although I've caught Pacu on streamer patterns, they most often feed on vegitation like most other Thai species. In the pond where I caught the small pacu they were feeding on little red berries falling off an overhanging bush. Although they appear almost identical, the pirhana of South America are voracious predators and will attack anything. I've never caught a carp or silver breem on anything but bait, but the related mahseer will eat insects and other fish. Giant snakeheads and common snakeheads are very predaceous and will eat frogs, fish and even shore birds if they enter the water.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

And what about tuna ?

I cannot remind having found any fresh tuna steak at any Bkk restaurant, has the specie definitively disappeared ? :-)

[IanForbes]

And what about tuna ?

I cannot remind having found any fresh tuna steak at any Bkk restaurant, has the specie definitively disappeared ? :-)

Tuna is an off-shore fish and has been heavily exploited by commercial fleets from Japan and other Asian countries. It is also expensive. I'm fortunate living where I do in BC, Canada and I get mine off our west coast. Lack of refrigeration is also a problem with transporting the larger species of fish back to market.

[balo]

The milkfish (bangus) is my favourite, its a very popular fish in the Phillipines.

You can buy it several places in Bangkok, I think the Foodland supermarkets have it.

[daoyai]

Bangus, in English, mullet very good in the tamarind based soup called sinagong.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

And where can you find the best choice of fish in Bangkok or Pattaya ? What is your fav seafood restaurant ?

[Johpa]

Nile Tilapia is Pla Nin. Pla Tab Tim is the genetically engineered Frankenfish variety of same that's bigger and pinkish in color, a species copyrighted by the CP Group. I avoid it like the PlaGue.

Thanks for the clarification as I was beginning to think that some Royal Institute had renamed Tilapia.

Now I am pretty happy with a meal of plaa tuu khem (salted mackerel), khao niow (sticky rice), and lao khao (rice whiskey), but I really like to order plaa duk (catfish) when eating at a restaurant. And unless I am visiting a seaside town, I avoid salt water fish in Thailand.

[antony77]

I am very surprised that no one mentioned CORAL TROUT. It is a grouper familly, bright red in colour with iridescent blue spots. It is considered not only the best tasting fish in Thailand, but many would say it is the best fish in the world. Available here but very expensive. Emporium Bangkok always has it and sometimes you can pick up a small one in the market at a reasonable price. Some up market restaurants have them in tanks and you can have them cooked steamed. They are so tasty they they don't need additional flavoring. I used to see a lot of them while snorkelling and exploring the Islands off Pattaya with The Thailand Sub-Aqua Club in the early 60's.