How safe are food stalls?

[My Cow Jai]

Generally they are very safe.

 

 

 

However I don't eat shellfish at these stalls, seeing as when you get sick on shellfish you really get sick.

[Old Hippie]

I agree, the food courts in the shoppping malls kick ass!! I have never gotten sick from street food though. I got a "blast effect" from a dish I ate at Chatuchuk market one time, it took about 11/2 hours to work, a full urgent blast and it was over. I think it was mainly the oil used to fry some pork and egg. The girl I was with also got it.

[Guest]

Thanks for all the input. I love trying the local food in "most" countries I visit and have tried some fairly bizarre (food guys - we are talking food here!!) stuff over the years that would kill the average Englishman just at the thought of it! How can people live on roast beef and Yorkshire pud all their lives?

 

 

 

Thanks again guys!

 

 

 

Taipan

[racha]

I agree with the other guys that say the food stalls are fine to eat from, the hotels can be more of a problem with bacteria and cleanliness and old food being used, also the insecticide not being cleaned of the vegetables. Thai doctors I have spoken to here do recommend the local Thai's not to eat the food from the side of the road if the food is left uncovered though, saying that they also say do not smoke or drink alcohol either, Fruit I would not worry about except the watermelon I am myself suspicious of even though I do eat it occasionally, as I have heard some bad stories about this, there was a thread on the watermelons a while back if you want to search it, also an elephant died just recently here by eating to much watermelon and it was blamed on an overdose of the chemicals in the melons.....

[Guest lazyphil]

<<How safe are food stalls?>>

 

 

 

Much safer than they often look!!

[Guest]

I am not a regular at the food-stalls, but I never had a problem too. Just do it with common sense: when many other people are eating there, everything should be fine.

 

 

 

I am not sure about the bugs; I read they are killed using DDT.

[Guest lazyphil]

<<I read they are killed using DDT>>

 

 

 

[Guest]

Just do as the Thais do at roadside foodstalls. Stand in line at the busy places and try to avoid those that everyone else seems to be avoiding and you'll be OK.

 

 

 

In my 25 years here I've had foodpoisoning twice, both times after eating at 5-star restaurants.

[whosyourdaddy]

I use to eat street food most of the time.. I have had a few problems.. Food poisoning about 4x in 3 years from it.. Stay 100% away from seafood, especially shrimp.. They can and will do a nasty number. I have had a problem a few times with seafood. Ended up in the hospital at 2am one night and the other time I was stuck on an island at 2am pucking my guts out wondering how the heck I am going to get to the mainland and get to a hospital.

 

 

 

Most of the time it will be ok. But about 50% of the places I would never think of eating there. SOmepeople think that just because thais eat there that it is safe.. Trust me, thais get sick all the time from poor hygene places, you just dont see them since they are sitting on the toilet all night long.

[bibblies]

They do usually put a lot of stuff like monosodium glutamate in the food to make it taste better. There is more awareness now of this issue and a few places proudly state that they don't use such stuff.

 

 

 

When I lived near Thonglor, I used to use JJDelivery, which has a branch just before Soi 38. It offers street food at low prices, but made in a cleaner environment. In fact, some of the food there was tastier and cheaper than that at the nearby Soi 38. You can order out - check out its website.