Eating Food From Street Vendors?

[pete98146]

While I've only been to Thailand a few times, I'm curious how many of the expats eat food from the street vendors?

I tried it a few times and the food was just amazing and obviously cheap. I never did have any problems with the stomach but maybe I was lucky?

I'm wondering if most expats just play it safe and eat in the restaurants or do they occasionally eat from the street vendors?

[p1p]

I'm moving this to the food section where it belongs.

Yes, I have eaten from street vendors all my life and seldom had problems. ALL my main food-poisoning episodes have come from restaurants except one at a friend's house.

[TokyoT]

My Thai wife eats from the food vendors on a pretty regular basis, at least 4-5 times a week. Over the past 1 ½ years she has been sick from the food 3-4 times. So she has eaten from the food vendor stalls about 400 times and gotten sick abut 1% of the time. So the odds look pretty good.

I know my wife is Thai and not farang, but she lived outside of Thailand for about 5 yrs before returning to Thailand about 1 ½ years ago. So her body certainly was not accustom to eating from the food vendors upon her return.

I eat from the street vendors about 4-5 times a month. And I have yet to get sick or have any ill effects.

[WhiteShiva]

My Thai wife eats from the food vendors on a pretty regular basis, at least 4-5 times a week.  Over the past 1 ½ years she has been sick from the food 3-4 times.  So she has eaten from the food vendor stalls about 400 times and gotten sick abut 1% of the time.  So the odds look pretty good. 

I know my wife is Thai and not farang, but she lived outside of Thailand for about 5 yrs before returning to Thailand about 1 ½ years ago. So her body certainly was not accustom to eating from the food vendors upon her return.

I eat from the street vendors about 4-5 times a month.  And I have yet to get sick or have any ill effects.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto that - I eat from street vendors regularly, and I get a stomack upset occasionally. Was it the street food? - dunno. Will I continue to eat from street vendors? - absolutely!

A couple of things to keep in mind, though - be careful when using wooden/bamboo chopsticks - these are difficult to clean properly, and can transmit germs, especially hepatatis. When using spoon & fork, even if they appear clean, pour some water (or if available squeze some lime) over them and swipe with some of the paper tissue which is normally availabe. You will notice most Thai people doing this. How effective it is, I don't know, but it doesn't hurt to be careful.

Furthermore, only eat in places where you see many Thai people eating/purchasing take-away. Vendors selling crappy food don't last long - law of the urban jungle. The good ones build up a soild customer base. Choose wisely. In the tourist areas - eat at your own risk. My choise would be to go to an established vendor in the business area - competition is fierce, and only the best survive. Word gets around - so do as the locals.

Enjoy!

[Captain Chaos]

I eat from street vendors regularly, probably 5 times a week or so (lazy - can't be bothered to cook, and too tight to go to restaurants )

Have been in Thailand since early 2002. First time I tried street food was May or June 2002, and I was ill for a couple of days afterwards. Guess it takes some time for the bacteria in your gut to acclimatise? Since then, never a problem. For anyone considering dipping their toe for the first time (so to speak), I'd pay very good attention to WhiteShiva's suggestions!

[terdsak_12]

I used to eat it all the time, and still do occasionally. Been here 12 years now and have got guts of iron so no worries really.

[lampard10]

Every time I take my wife to an expensive restaurant in BKK as soon as we come out she heads for the street food stalls. It even happened after eating at the Vertigo, when it first opened. I rarely eat from food stalls in Surin, but in BKK, one I found really good and better than most Thai restaurants was outside the Stable Inn (Soi 10 ,12 or 14)

[chanchao]

Yeah, ditto.. Can't say food stalls are in any way more dodgy than just about any restaurant.

Anyway on my website I talk about quite a lot of them (as well as restaurants). Seeing that you're in Chiang Mai that site could be useful. (http://food.netasia.org)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[The_Other_Mac]

My main objection to food stalls is that the food often is simply not very good in my area. I've got so used to this, that I'm not really in the habit of eating at them anywhere else. Apart from that, I'm fussy in other ways - I won't buy from a stall located on a major road choked with traffic fumes (which is 90% of them, apparently they believe it's good to get the passing trade), I don't like the "hotdog" style sausages or luuk chin or liver or street-stall-style beef or seafood. What is it with Thai cooks not believing me when I say I don't want seafood? I end up naming every water-dwelling animal I can think of, and they'll still think of the one I didn't mention, and add it to improve the flavour.

</rant>

[meadish_sweetball]

I eat from street vendors on a more or less daily basis as well, since 5 years back.

I have had more stomach problems during the last year than during the preceding years in Thailand put together. Not quite sure why that is. I was hoping my stomach would get more tolerant with time, but it seems to be the opposite.

[Thug]

Been in Thailand for 5 years, I have been eating at street food stall all the time. The food tastes amazing, the best and cheapest. But if you're new in Thailand, don't even bother.

[daleyboy]

While I've only been to Thailand a few times, I'm curious how many of the expats eat food from the street vendors? 

I tried it a few times and the food was just amazing and obviously cheap.  I never did have any problems with the stomach but maybe I was lucky?

I'm wondering if most expats just play it safe and eat in the restaurants or do they occasionally eat from the street vendors?

Always eat from street vendors, never had a problem. I know plenty of farang that wont eat of street vendors and imho they are missing out big time

[Braccobaldo]

I like eat food from street vendors, no problem for me.

[COBBER]

At least with street vendors you can see everything . How would you know that the kitchen out the back of the restaurant is hygenic.

Generaly street vendors buy their raw ingrediants each day and trade untill they have sold out so there is a good chance that the food will be fairly fresh. Where as a restaurant would be more inclined to carry several days worth of stock.

[rainman]

the funniest thing i've witnessed was one of those thai restaurants "for tourists" have the cook run out the back door to go buy papaya salad off a street vendor and then sell it for 150 baht in the restaurant

[hUsh]

I've eaten and still do eat at some street stalls. Sometimes I get lucky and can get away without getting sick while enjoying yummy and really cheap food. However, I did get sick a couple of times.

I usually prefer to order for take out and use my own kitchen utensils at home esp. when I see that their dishes (plates, spoons, etc.)aren't properly washed.

I thought of avoiding food street stalls, but sometimes the best Thai food can be found in one of them. so I will keep enjoying it (while taking the risks )

[WhiteShiva]

I've eaten and still do eat at some street stalls. Sometimes I get lucky and can get away without getting sick while enjoying yummy and really cheap food. However, I did get sick a couple of times.

I usually prefer to order for take out and use my own kitchen utensils at home esp. when I see that their dishes (plates, spoons, etc.)aren't properly washed.

I thought of avoiding food street stalls, but sometimes the best Thai food can be found in one of them. so I will keep enjoying it    (while taking the risks  )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's what we sometimes do as well. One thing I forgot to mention above is that small residues of soapwater on your plate will play havoc with your stomack as well, so getting sick (as in the runs) may having nothing to do with the quality of the food. If the stall has access to running water, this should not be a problem, but there are places where plates are just washed in a bucket of soap, and left to dry. Best avoided.

It is an old trick amongst stewardesses (have heard this from 3 different Asian airline staff over the years) to put a couple of drops of eyedrop solution into drinks of extremely obnoxious passangers - keeps them in the loo for the rest of the flight.

I am always polite to airline staff, my wife calls it flirting, but I consider that to be an extra bonus!

Edited August 1, 2005 by WhiteShiva

[Blackandwhite]

Best food is from the street vendors if you ask me it is the best bet, I recon that as they buy small amounts of the fresh meat needed for the dishes that it is always going to be fresha s it is not hanging around and they cant afford to loose customers hence to consistant quality of the food it all turns over so fats and it usually cooked to order .. Very good food. I am stuck here in UK just the thought of a good street food meal and a nice cold Singha makes me want to jump on the plane

[Totster]

I am stuck here in UK just the thought of a good street food meal and a nice cold Singha makes me want to jump on the plane  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know that feeling.... (But Leo not Singha)

totster

[cdnvic]

Bowl of fried noodles with prawns and a Singha in Chaing Mai: 60baht (tops).

Bowl of fried noodles with prawns and a Singha in Victoria: 420 baht

Doesn't take long to pay off the airfare at that rate.

cv

[jaloochapurr]

Best food is from the street vendors if you ask me it is the best bet, I recon that as they buy small amounts of the fresh meat needed for the dishes that it is always going to be fresha s it is not hanging around and they cant afford to loose customers hence to consistant quality of the food it all turns over so fats and it usually cooked to order .. Very good food. I am stuck here in UK just the thought of a good street food meal and a nice cold Singha makes me want to jump on the plane  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am with you now stuck in florida with a vacation coming p in september and can not wait to eat at some of my favorite venders. what resturant can you get really good and cheap hoy tort or pad thai.

[mrbojangles]

Absolutely love the stuff. Someone else mentioned earlier about their wife eating from them straight after coming out of a restaurant. Mine does exactly the same Don't know why even bother eating "Posh"

[miminem]

Most of the time , I get my breakfast, lunch and dinner in a street stall. Never been sick so far.

First time was in Hatyai, coming from Malaysia. It was pretty good although I do not know what it was.

I do not like the soup with pork blood.

[p_brownstone]

I think a main source of bugs or whatever in Street Food here is not the food itself, nor even the plates, spoons or forks but the chopsticks; those porous bamboo sticks must retain a lot of bacteria, food remnants etc, and are only usually rinsed in cold water before being put back into service - usually still wet.

That said, after 30+ years here I travel upcountry regularly and eat virtually anything but rarely have stomach problems - however when I return to "the West" on holiday etc. I am invariably ......... mildly inconvenienced for 2 or 3 days - however it's probably the lack of Singh, my favourite anti-bacterial.

Patrick

[mrbojangles]

I think a main source of bugs or whatever in Street Food here is not the food itself, nor even the plates, spoons or forks but the chopsticks; those porous bamboo sticks must retain a lot of bacteria, food remnants etc, and are only usually rinsed in cold water before being put back into service - usually still wet.

I concur Patrick. Never really thought about it before but i think your right. I shall be buying my sweetheart a brand new handbag soon. A long thin one to put my own "plastic" chop sticks in

Never thought of that before either, do you think food tastes different using plastic, wood or metal ? Suppose it's like eating Fish and Chips out of paper instead of on a plate

Mr BoJ

[j_mack]

I think a main source of bugs or whatever in Street Food here is not the food itself, nor even the plates, spoons or forks but the chopsticks; those porous bamboo sticks must retain a lot of bacteria, food remnants etc, and are only usually rinsed in cold water before being put back into service - usually still wet.

That said, after 30+ years here I travel upcountry regularly and eat virtually anything but rarely have stomach problems - however when I return to "the West" on holiday etc. I am invariably ......... mildly inconvenienced for 2 or 3 days - however it's probably the lack of Singh, my favourite anti-bacterial.

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After livng in Sinapore and Indonesia The worst food posining I ever had was in my own country [OZ ] and I had visions off bleeding to DEATH! internaly,

Ive never had problem with the Asian countrys! saying that I love Curry and Chilles the Hotter the better, long live my taste buds!

[dantilley]

Street food is fine, never had any problems. I'm particularly impartial to the a few fried insects prior to a nice meal from an Isaan street stall.