Street Food: What to Avoid/Advice...

[Swampypoom]

In my continued search for finding safe and delicious street cart Thai dishes, there are some things where I throw caution such as avoiding pork and fish:

+ one of my local friends tells me to avoid fish unless it is "swimming" (or as Westerners call, "fresh."

+ pork should be cooked at extremely high temperatures as they are prone to parasites; I'm thinking of the pork skewers I see...

+ common-sense precautions I take are to only use carts appearing busy with locals (also avoiding tourist areas such as Sukhumvit where prices go very high at night) and observing sanitation/proper food handling,

+ how does one (and should one) eat the roasted fish on the skewer which appears to be covered in salt? Doesn't seem like a finger-food to me so does this require utensils? Do you avoid this dish entirely?

I know very well there are sit-down restaurants all over Thailand, but I want to support as many smaller (and local) businesses as I can during my excursions, so I wanted to start this thread and seek opinion. I hope this thread helps other visitors and locals alike.

[Suradit69]

Street Food: What to Avoid/Advice...

Avoid most of the advice you get on Thai Visa, which will range from the sensible to the hysterical. The former will be from people who actually eat street vendor food and the latter from people who manage to live in Thailand in a bubble.

As you say, the best determining factor is if they are selling food to Thai people regularly, they can be regarded as preparing food properly. They want to stay in business and that won't happen if what they are selling is inedible, poorly prepared or unsafe.

And the odds of getting unsafe food probably don't differ by much from established street vendors, sit-down restaurants or western restaurant. I've eaten vegetable dishes, chicken & pork either as single entree or in other dishes, smoked or grilled fish, and even red ant egg salad khai mot daeng and some other insect dishes and I'm still alive to tell about it ... never so much as an upset stomach.

[smokie36]

Visit the duck noodle stall for lunch on Thonglor.....before Soi 6 I think.....best one I've found....yum!

[AyG]

You're being overly cautious by avoiding pork. Trichinosis (a parasitic worm) used to be a significant problem in the west, hence the advice to cremate pork before eating it. Thanks to improved husbandry it's no longer a problem, guidelines have been revised, and there's no longer a need to overcook pork.

In Thailand there are occasional outbreaks of trichinosis. However, they're almost always associated with eating hill pigs, wild boar and other wild animals, and with eating the meat as laab (i.e. raw or only slightly cooked).

No need to deprive yourself of those delicious pork skewers you see on sale.

[TigerandDog]

To be completely honest, I've had 3 doses of food poisoning since moving to Thailand at the end of Sept last year, and I got all 3 of them from so called high class restaurants. I have no problem eating street food. The only safety precaution I take is to have them cook it freshly in front of me, or reheat it in front of me. This makes it is good as freshly cooked. Have had no instances of food poisoning or upset belly from eating street food. Anyway, street food is how you truly experience Thai food. Up market restaurants are overpriced and not worth the risk, because you can't see what goes on in the kitchen. At least with street food, it's all there in front of you.

[Bonefish]

To be completely honest, I've had 3 doses of food poisoning since moving to Thailand at the end of Sept last year, and I got all 3 of them from so called high class restaurants. I have no problem eating street food. The only safety precaution I take is to have them cook it freshly in front of me, or reheat it in front of me. This makes it is good as freshly cooked. Have had no instances of food poisoning or upset belly from eating street food. Anyway, street food is how you truly experience Thai food. Up market restaurants are overpriced and not worth the risk, because you can't see what goes on in the kitchen. At least with street food, it's all there in front of you.

A good friend of mine who has been living in Bangkok for 25 years got 3 cases of food poisoning so far, all 3 cases from expensive Western restaurants. Never had any problem with Thai street food or Thai restaurant food.

[BudRight]

Eat anything but the klong fish and you'll be fine.

[hanno]

Hysterics have started....

I have eaten street food in SE Asia for the last 20 years. I am well aware that some of the food is doctored but here is a bit of news: the West has its fair share of food scandals.

I have never had outright food poisoning here but 2 times in Africa. What most people call food poisoning here is anything but; a couple of days of the trots are nothing like lying in a corner and wanting to die.

I like the herbs and salads and do a de-worming course every 6 months. I also have a rule of frequenting only places that are busy, be they food stalls or restaurants as at least chances are good that that piece of meat hasn't been lying in a fridge for 8 days.

As for the "BIGGEST BS ! As if Thai knew anything..." comment above, you can safely ignore that. Your question will always bring out people like that. Better get used to it real quick, it is what makes Thai Visa so, em, em shall we say colorful?

[shaurene]

Most of it is very tasty and cooked good. One of my favourite ones is Lamb Moo spelt as it sounds. You can have it hot spicy or medium. I do not like eating the deep fryer in batter chicken as the oil has been used for quite a time and it is not good for you. The insects and ants are very tasty. Corner of Bakau and Diana the Aussi Hamburger place is great, their roast beef rolls are out of this world, hambuers are very good also. Next to it is a thai street vender her food is lovely.

[BB24]

All good advice (except a couple) - especially the worm treatment (ditto) - any Pharmacy (1 tablet - done).

Personally, I avoid things that are 'swimming' too much - other than that, it just has to be well cooked in front of me.

Check these videos out: Retire Cheap Asia http://retirecheap.asia/retire-thailand/category/food/

JC has been here a while and is a good bloke too - lots of good advice on his website about street food (and common sense safety tips).

[ToddinChonburi]

I would say at the night markets, many tasty things to eat for very low prices. Noodle soups, Papaya salad, I get watermelon for 30 baht a kilo and it is cut out of the Rhine. very good.

Always go were it is busy, the locals will show you right were to eat. if no one there move on to the next stop.

[96tehtarp]

There really is no golden rule, although I follow the "only eat from popular vendors" dictum.

The OP's aversion to pork is misguided. In Thailand it's really quite safe.

IMO the best plan is to prepare for what to do if and when you do get food poisoning. Where I live we go to the local MD's clinic and get a shot in the rump for less than 200 baht, and we also keep activated charcoal capsules and re-hydration salts well stocked at home. Personally I eat almost everything and get food poisoning less often than once per year. The shot in the rump normally clears it up within hours.

Avoid Raw Palaa (fermented fish), and Roo (Raw pig blood stew), and those black salty crabs in Som-tam. Also at the Sookee restaurants one needs to realize that they are preparing raw food and separate the utensils used in handling the raw meats with the ones used for eating the cooked meats.

Lastly, if you get a bad belly in Thailand don't wait 24 hours get help from a medical professional, do so immediately as the situation can degrade considerably very quickly, much more rapidly than it would in a non tropical country.

[Bonefish]

In case of light food poisoning or upset belly, Disento works very well, available in any pharmacy.

[Jungle Jim]

Never been sick here ever from any Thai food. My rule is i see a crowd of foreigners in a restaurant i run in the other direction. My hunch is 99.9999999 % of expats live on expensive foreign crap food. In the twenty years i have traveled to every corner of Thailand numerous times i have seen less than a dozen eating in a REAL Thai restaurant. The majority of tourists live off Pad Thai, Pad Thai and more Pad Thai. Likely why they are so brain dead. Like one said most foreigners live in their own fantasy bubble. McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen, Burger King and 7-11. Travel half way around the world and eat crap. Shows high class.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Jungle Jim

[Daniel Ingalls]

I myself would avoid any food that moves on its own accord, live oysters out of the shell and swimming in fresh pigs blood for starters!!

[Headgame]

For 5 years living in TH I have eaten 99% street food or local Thai restaurants. I eat whatever looks good and have never had a single instance of food poisoning. I am not doing an inspection of anything except to look for a group of Thai people placing their orders. Just use common sense. Truly one of the great things about Thailand is the food. Be brave, enjoy.

[hkt83100]

I avoid all these curries waiting to be eaten for hours. Just freshly prepared stuff, and my stomach thanks for almost 20 years of delicious Thai food.

[dotpoom]

I love the phrase I heard for the first time in Thailand........."You think too much".

[Mousehound]

I have eaten street food for several years in Thailand and in the really working class factory areas of HK. Much rougher in HK than in Thailand. I can remember only two bad belly attacks: one in a western orientated restaurant at Khao Sok and the other a very expensive western restaurant in HK. The street food I look for has to be at a busy stall and cooked very hot. I avoid salads and shellfish. I am not worried about pork but am about undercooked chicken - if there is a hint of red I ask them to cook it more ( has happened a couple of times). If in doubt I avoid sea food. I carry my own utensils but rarely use them although I prefer to eat with chopsticks - a habit I got into after a few years in HK in the eighties. Quite honestly you are far more likely to catch tummy <deleted> from touching things that others have touched, so if you are sensitive to this then a hand sanitiser used regularly is a good deal - and avoid touching your mouth with unwashed hands. Enjoy the food - it is part of the experience and understand that paranoia is alive and well on TV.

[Blindside]

I love street food. Having said that, I tend to avoid very sad looking carts or ones that nobody is frequenting at a busy market.

I also tend to be a creature of habit and once I find my "person" I tend to stick to them. So I have a pork stick guy and a chicken lady etc..

I take tabs every 6 months or so for parasites / worms etc. Although in a tropical country they can come from anywhere.

Also have never had "gippo-guts" from street food.

[opalred]

if no dogs and cats hangout front of joint dont go there

[thedude82]

any restaurant is eat at your own risk here. dont believe the absolute bullshit about "never having a problem" ive gotten food poisoning more times than I can count here from street vendors and restaurants. kitchen sanitation standards are non-existant here. and all restaurants i got sick from were "busy", that advice an old wives tale. anywhere else in the world ive been never had a problem, here its once every month or two im on the shitter at least.

[Jungle Jim]

Ever think it might have more to do with the amount of booze you drink every day and not the food itself. Likely have eaten at over a thousand different places in Thailand, Laos , Malaysia, Cambodia and Burma. ZERO! problems in twenty years.

any restaurant is eat at your own risk here. dont believe the absolute bullshit about "never having a problem" ive gotten food poisoning more times than I can count here from street vendors and restaurants. kitchen sanitation standards are non-existant here. and all restaurants i got sick from were "busy", that advice an old wives tale. anywhere else in the world ive been never had a problem, here its once every month or two im on the shitter at least.

[northernphil]

Living for 10 years here I have had the squits about twice, Never chucked up either. But a lot depends on your constitution, if you were a sickly child then Thailand will embrace that. Some say " Oh I think the fish disagreed with me last night ". Funny i had the same and I am ok. Much the same as " Nothing spicy for me , I don't get on with spicy food " If you have always been cautious with what you eat The Land Of smells might not be for you. If you want to try most things you should be safe. As said on here ' anywhere that does poor/bad food shuts very soon'. Same with beer. 3 bottles of Leo is enough for me yet others can sup the stuff all night ,every night.

[Jungle Jim]

i average three meals a day sometimes more at various Thai restaurants and stalls. So three times a day times 365 is 1,095 meals a year times twenty years that is almost 22,000 meals likely at over a thousand different locations. I had a very slight stomach ache once likely because the curry was too spicy. not sure what i am doing correct but than again i don,t have a booze bottle glued to my hand 24/7. p.s I finally had a pizza last year buy one one free.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Jungle Jim

[opalred]

i have been retired 15yrs and all time travel in asia and eat street foodfirst time in china 15 yrs ago people said mad

to eat street food never got sick but always drink every night 4 bottle beer keeps bugs away been doing now 55yrs no problems

[gemguy]

I know a good number of people suffer upset stomachs from eating the Som Tam with the little black crabs included.

I have long ago surmised if a bacterial test was performed on the various ingredients included in a Som Tam cart, set up on the roadside, you would not be eager to eat the Som Tam with the little black crabs included as I am certain the bacterial levels would be off the Richter scale.

Cheers

[TomYumpoochai]

I know a good number of people suffer upset stomachs from eating the Som Tam with the little black crabs included.

I have long ago surmised if a bacterial test was performed on the various ingredients included in a Som Tam cart, set up on the roadside, you would not be eager to eat the Som Tam with the little black crabs included as I am certain the bacterial levels would be off the Richter scale.

Cheers

Theres a thai woman on fb now with parasitic worms emerging from her face thats supposed to come from those crabs.

I dont eat that shit or any sugary slimey pad thai but i eat the rest....anywhere and everywhere. Ive even sat in a roadside nosh hut with 1 of those food cullender things on my head to keep the flies off me while i ate.....no issues at all.

The worst food poisioning i ever had was in a german restaurant in chiang mai around wat praseng near the night market. Full on dysentary for 2 weeks.

I dont advise their pork medallions....or chiang mai.

Edited March 4, 2015 by TomYumpoochai

[SoiBiker]

If it looks good, and people are buying it, give it a try.

[USNret]

Ate street for years in Thailand & never got sick once. The two times I did get sick from food was at a Chinese/seafood buffet restaurant downstairs at Esplanade. Same place, twice -- shame on me.