Govt Takes Initiative On 'somtam' Scandals

[george]

Govt takes initiative on 'somtam'

BANGKOK: -- A series of hygiene scandals surrounding Thailand's popular papaya salad, known as 'somtam', today prompted Public Health Minister Suchai Charoenratanakul to offer personal cookery lessons to somtam vendors in Bangkok.

Sometimes called 'pok pok' by foreigners, the fiery papaya salad is seen as one of Thailand's signature dishes, and the government is keen to ensure that its remains one of the showpieces of Thailand's 'World Kitchen' plans.

Opening today's training course for 125 vendors of somtam from Bangkok food stalls, carts and restaurants, Dr. Suchai, the current motor behind the government's 'Food Safety' and 'Healthy Thailand' campaigns, spoke of the need to select clean raw ingredients.

"The cooks will learn about the dangers from contaminants, toxic chemicals and bacteria which cause illnesses", he said.

However, he reassured the public that eating somtam is safe, stressing that constant inspection by public health officials had successfully reduced the level of contaminants found in the salad.

The seriousness with which the government is taking the somtam issue has been highlighted by the Ministry of Public Health's avowed plans to treat it much in the same way, as it has dealt with the avian flu pandemic - with continual surveys and publicity exercises.

Ministry officials are particularly concerned that somtam vendors might be using contaminated vinegar and artificial lime juice, both of which can be dangerous to consumers.

--TNA 2005-04-29

[Darknight]

they might take out the chilly involved

[tuky]

I must admit my wife runs to the toilet 30 or so minutes after eating somtum bought from a vendor, but never needs to when she prepares it herself.

We can spend an hour driving around looking for her favourite vendor some nights

[joe beets]

Sometimes called 'pok pok' by foreigners

The only people I've ever heard using that term were my students.

But hey, TNA sez it's them durn furriners.

Who ya gonna believe?

jb

[Bel Mondo]

Down here in Pattaya---scores of people are on antibiotics sufferig from the street c---p they eat. They all blame it on the hot weather...even the 'educated ones". Point--eat off the street..suffer the consequences.

[sriracha john]

Down here in Pattaya---scores of people are on antibiotics sufferig from the street c---p they eat.  They all blame it on the hot weather...even the 'educated ones".  Point--eat off the street..suffer the consequences.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are indirectly correct. The hotter weather increases the bacteria count and speeds their growth in the food.

[udon]

1st lesson should be, one hand for food (washed frequently) the other for handling money.

[taxexile]

how is the "cr4p you eat on the street" any more dangerous than the stuff you get in a "restaurant" , the kitchens are just as disgusting or just as clean.

at least on the street you can see the food prepared and choose whether to buy there or move on.

as for the ingredients , some street sellers take great pride in what they sell and use high quality ingredients.

choose a busy street stall and you wont go wrong , just as you should always eat at popular restaurants.

[peder.klockmann]

So your saying I should or shouldn't eat at the fried insect vendors?

Edited April 30, 2005 by peder.klockmann

[sriracha john]

how is the "cr4p you eat on the street" any more dangerous than the stuff you get in a "restaurant" , the kitchens are just as disgusting or just as clean.

at least on the street you can see the food prepared and choose whether to buy there or move on.

as for the ingredients , some street sellers take great pride in what they sell and use high quality ingredients.

choose a busy street stall and you wont go wrong , just as you should always eat at popular restaurants.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you're right, tax....

and with apologies to del mundo... actually, if one returns to the original thread (not this one) about contaminated som tam, the inspectors found that the HIGHEST percentage of contaminated som tam was found in restaurants and the LOWEST percentage of contaminated som tam was found in street vendors... food shops were in the middle.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Hygene education can only be a good thing for everybody...not just in the preparation of food and the way that it is kept and served, but also in the cleaning of utensils etc.

How many times have we sat in a road side eatery and watched as the tables are cleaned over with the same filthy cloth that is used to wipe down the chairs and seemingly everything else that needs mopping up.

At least with the street vendors you can see the food being prepared and cooked and if you don`t like the way the operation looks then you can walk away.

It`s the hidden kitchens that I worry about....the ones you can`t see into.

Not mentioning any names, but a couple of years ago I tried the famous fried iced cream in a Pattaya restaurant.....and mine sure was different..it had a large toe nail in it....probably a one off.....but I`ve never had fried iced cream since or been back to that place.

[Totster]

at least on the street you can see the food prepared and choose whether to buy there or move on.

as for the ingredients , some street sellers take great pride in what they sell and use high quality ingredients.

choose a busy street stall and you wont go wrong , just as you should always eat at popular restaurants.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, It's common sense really....

totster

[socalbro]

I really like the beyond scortching hot Essan/Laos somtom and hardly a day goes bye that GF is not having some.

However does anyone know what one of the most essential ingredients is? It's called "Pra La" and it's thousands of stinky little fish crushed-up in their entirety with a little salt added to taste and then fermented for years in large jars sitting in the sun or sometimes buried up to the neck.

The only thing "better" than one year-old pra la is two and three year-old pra la. It's bacteria heaven! Had I not already been eating it and developed a taste for it when I learned of this ingredient I may have never tried.

I have not once in the last three years gotten sick from it. Mussels on the other hand can be a ticket to the hospital with food poisioning you would swear you were not going to live through.

Amazing Thailand!!!

And by the way, thats what you smell when driving past Klong Toey market on Rama 4, not just the klong itself.

Bon appetite

[CDB]

It's called "Pra La"

Well, "Plah rah" is a more correct transliteration, from "plah" = fish, and "ra" = mould, yeast. In the Isaan vernacular it sounds more like "balah".

This particular version of Somtam usually called Somtam Lao or Somtam Plah Ra is certainly far more dangerous than the other versions. Food poisoning is not the problem so much as the nasty organisms that can be in the fermented fish...

Edited May 2, 2005 by CDB