Thailand Street Food

You can find Thailand street food in boats, bazaars, alleys, busy corners and even whizzing by you on a mobile food vendor’s bike. There are 24,000 registered street food vendors in Bangkok alone. You will find women making round coconut hotcakes or fishcakes. You can enjoy satays from the barbecue grill or jackfruit from a basket on the end of a yoke carried by a street vendor. In Thailand, boats moor at landings where hungry customers order noodles and curries over rice.

In Thailand, a mix of businessmen and workers mingle in line and on street side stools eating street food. At these prices, everyone can afford a good meal. A snack can be had for a quarter, lunch for a dollar and a multi-course meal for just a few dollars.

Low prices don’t mean cheap or tasteless street food. Many very good chefs run the stalls in Thailand, making tasty food and making a name for themselves among the locals. The cooking demonstration while you wait to be served is reason enough to visit a street vendor in Thailand. You can custom order many dishes, choosing the kind of meat and seasonings you prefer. These street vendors are entrepreneurs who are as proud as any restaurateur.

Food vendors are resourceful. Beverages are served in plastic bags with a straw because they are cheaper and less bulky to transport. Natural wrappers, like banana leaves folded origami-like into cones, pockets and pyramids, are a sensible way to keep from carrying disposable dishes. The shape or cuts made in the item may indicate the filling or flavor of the food.

Thai street food is an essential culinary experience on any trip to Thailand. The aromas, colors and people watching just add to the street food experience.