If you are not familiar with Thai street food, even the term can be a bit confusing: is “street” food prepared on the street, bought on the street, or eaten on the street? In fact, Thai street food is not that different from street food at home. You probably bought a hot dog from a vendor and ate it on a park bench, or bought ice cream on the beach during the summer. It is the same idea in Thailand.
The big difference between Thai street food and street food at home is that in Thailand street food is everywhere, and most people get at least one of their meals every day from the street. Vendors in Thailand prepare dishes from small stalls and often even set up tables and chairs on the sidewalk so you can eat outside so you don’t eat on the run.
There is also more variety of Thai street food than just pretzels and ice cream. You can find pad Thai, Thai curry, roti, noodle soup, fried bananas, fruit, papaya salad, fried chicken, and just about every other common Thai dish on the street. The food is fresh and fast and a meal will rarely cost you more than 40 baht ($ 1.30)!
Convenience and cost play a role in the popularity of street food in Thailand, but the tradition and community aspect of eating outdoors are also important factors. Because of this, street food is often of a very high quality. Vendors in popular areas compete for customers, so the food must be good.
What to eat:
With so many options it is difficult to know where to start. If you are visiting Thailand and want to try everything you can, try everything! Since the dishes are so reasonably priced, you have nothing to lose.
- Best Thai Street Food Dishes
