Thailand forum

What Foods are Safe?

TheNewGuy8

flashpacker
Posts: 35

Hi Everyone!

I just arrived yesterday in Chiang Mai ! Woohoo!

I spent time wandering around and checking out the night bazaar. There were lots of amazing foods I wanted to try but I became nervous:

Is steamed rice OK? I had some and then reaized that it wasn't boiled and I didn't know if it got hot enough to kill bacteria?

I heard we should stay away from ice cream and gelatos?

The shakes and fruit drinks that are around - not a good idea? Does that include Mango Lassis?

Are cream-based drinks in places like Starbucks OK? I'd really rather visit local coffee shops, but can we use the cream/milk?

In Chiang Mai - anyone have the recommendations for best places to eat? I spent a LONG time last night trying to find the Warorot Market in China Town where I was told there was great street food but I never found it and instead went to those series of food stalls in the night bazaar. Food was still great.

I'm sure I'll have LOTS more questions soon. Can't believe I'm here.

#1 Posted: 6/10/2010 - 08:51
busylizzy

under-employed
Posts: 1470
Located in:
Private message

I'm so envious that you are in Chiang Mai!

In terms of food, I have eaten all of the things that you mentioned (except for Starbucks - yech!) - and have never had a problem.

I eat the chicken and seafood, I eat the salads and the fruit shakes, and I drink the drinks with ice in them. I generally cut back on coffee because it was too darn hot to drink it in Asia.. until I got to Vietnam where I had some of the best coffee experiences, and learned to enjoy iced coffee (with condensed milk and ice no less). I have eaten cooked food off boats at floating markets. And I ate locally made ice creams and iced drinks with squiggly green and pink bits in it. Basically, I break most of the 'rules'... and have so far managed to avoid sickness (with one exception in Bangkok which I attribute to prawns from a road-side vendor).

The one thing that I DO avoid generally was fish - especially the small deep-dried whole fish. I avoided it for 2 reasons: I hate picking my way through skin, scales and bones. And I don't like the look of the river that they come from. My travelling ate the said fish several times in Vietnam (and similar fish several times in Fiji) - and was sick for several days EACH time. "I told you so" didn't go down too well at the time.

Maybe I have a cast-iron stomach...or have just been lucky. Having said all of that, I do have some guidelines for myself:
- I don't worry about ice, salads, chicken or seafood from most touristy restaurants
- If I go to a night-market, the meat/seafood should be on ice or otherwise chilled and the cooking area must look reasonably clean
- I don't eat fish from a river generally
- Ice cubes with holes in them are generally considered safe in Thailand as these are 'manufactured' with drinkable water. Avoid ice from vendors who buy it in large blocks then use machetes to slice off ice shavings.
- Western food chains (McD's, Starbucks, etc) don't necessarily have any better standards than local-style restaurants.
- Look for the food stalls that have locals crowded around. They will know the good, reliable places to eat.

I would say just relax, and enjoy the local food - but use a bit of common sense as well. In my opinion, Thailand has some of the best food that you will find in SE Asia, although I know MadMac is going to chime in here on this one right about now...

#2 Posted: 6/10/2010 - 09:28

------------------------------
As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.
exacto

mahout
Posts: 1797
Located in:
Private message

A good rule of thumb is to avoid seafood if you can't see the ocean. Apart from that, just as lizzy says, relax and enjoy the local food. Chiang Mai is an excellent place to try all kinds of Thai food and other international cuisine.

One restaurant I definitely recommend is Aroon Rai. If you are standing at the Thapae Gate looking into the old city, it is about three blocks away to the left, outside the moat. They have some of the best kaeng kuri kai (or veggie) and other curries I've ever had!

#3 Posted: 6/10/2010 - 11:20
Thaiman

tuk tuk driver
Posts: 201

Private message

Quite honestly I reckon it's impossible to tell which foods are safe.I've been lucky,got a cast iron stomach like Lizzy, and never been struck with any kind of poisoning and believe me I've eaten in some pretty ordinary looking restaurants and food stalls.I'd say just relax and if there are other people chewing on it,especially Thais,and it looks good then go for it.You may get some diarrohea but that's all part of being there.

#4 Posted: 6/10/2010 - 15:09
goonistik

adventurer
Posts: 326

You cannot judge if something is safe to eat by appearance.

Steamed food can get hot enough to kill bacteria. But that is not a guarantee that it will be safe. If somebody with dirty hands handled the food after cooking, than you might have a problem.

Unfortunately Huen Phen was closed. I think they gave their staff a holiday in anticipation of the Thai New Year. The people at 3 Sis B&B told me to eat at this restaurant that was right beside their B&B. They told me the Khao soi was just as good. The restaurant is in front of Wat Chedi Luang.

Disappointed that I couldn't try the Khao soi at the Huen Phen, I did come across this place for Thai massage that was frequented by the locals.

I also enjoyed eating at the market that was on the outer wall of the old city.

#5 Posted: 6/10/2010 - 16:25
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3999

"except for Starbucks - yech!"

Liz, you don't like Starbucks? You got to be kidding? They make some of the best flavored coffees around. Not cheap, but good. I'll bet you don't like Dunkin Doughnuts either.

#6 Posted: 6/10/2010 - 16:59

------------------------------
Victory in Pattani
Tilapia

under-employed
Posts: 1204
Located in:

Private message

From an old post ...

==========================

For what it's worth, the most significant contaminant found in Thai street food is an exotoxin produced by bacteria that we all have on our skin called Staphylococcus aureus. It is produced when the bacteria are allowed to invade openings in the skin, causing infection. The most important feature of this toxin is that it does not denature when exposed to high heat, like most of the other contaminants (bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc.) found.

The ingredients may be contaminated to begin with, but upon exposure to high heat they are usually made safe. However, if a foodhandler has cuts/abrasions on his or her hands and does not cover them, or wash them (which is usually the case), he or she can transmit the toxin to the food, and the toxin remains in the food regardless of whether or not it was cooked. Toxins are the cause of true food-poisonings and the body reacts to them as they would with nearly any other poison ... vomiting, and soon after eating.

Another common bacteria that produces a heat-stable toxin is called Bacillus cereus (or B. cereus!) which is mostly found in rice and is often the cause of illness after eating Asian foods.

So, in a way, it might be safer to eat street food than restaurant food because one can, at least, take a look at who is cooking and what the facilities (knives, cutting boards, storage displays, etc.) are like. This isn't always possible in restaurants, and there is little in the way of government oversight there. It's getting better, though.

The Older Post

#7 Posted: 6/10/2010 - 23:57
busylizzy

under-employed
Posts: 1470
Located in:
Private message

"Liz, you don't like Starbucks? You got to be kidding? They make some of the best flavored coffees around. Not cheap, but good. I'll bet you don't like Dunkin Doughnuts either."

Starbuck coffees are too milky and rich for me. And Dunkin' Doughnuts... well, I liked them as a kid growing up in the US, but I think my tastedbuds became more refined once I moved to NZ....

I wouldn't say no to a McD's apple pie or a Dairy Queen blitz (?) icecream though. And I have snuck in the odd KFC chicken burger when travelling in Asia, mainly because I like the fact that you can get them so spicy! Hottest KFC burger I had was in Trat.

#8 Posted: 7/10/2010 - 01:54

------------------------------
As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.
neosho

adventurer
Posts: 307

When it comes to eating here, my wife and I have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I don't ask what it is and she doesn't tell me. If it tastes good, I eat it.
As for Chiang Mai, I alway went to muan muang, soi 9, inside the moat. JJ's at the end is good, then take a right and there is Prego's and Chai's bar. Good mix of Thai and western food. Chai's is a great place to party also with all ages and nationalities, from tourists to expats.
Madmac....I refuse to give such outlandish prices for a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Then again, I won't buy overpriced clothing just because it's got some clowns name on it. I think they should pay us to advertise their product.

#9 Posted: 7/10/2010 - 07:35
jasinorbit

flashpacker
Posts: 34

Hi,

My favourite Chang Mai food is Khao Soi, I tried in in a couple of different restaurants (cant remeber names)- all very nice. Give it a go. As for the rest, just be sensible but dont worry about it to much. Yes, you might get sick from the food, you might also get sick from many other things. I DONT have a cast iron stomach - so i go with the attitude that I will probably get sick from the food a least once, so that if it happens, no big deal. If it doesnt - even better.

Ive started every trip avoiding Ice and being careful, and after a few days I always give up and eat/drink whatever i want. I havent had any issues so far.

The rest is luck. Like was mentioned above by busylizzy- I do always try to avoid the blocks of ice, I have seen these being hacked at on the street, on the dirty groud, with a rusty machete. Not a good look, yet when in a small local town in the mekong having a beer with some locals my choice was hot beer with a large chunk ice or to not drink it.....seemed rude to waste good beer.....

#10 Posted: 7/10/2010 - 09:12
TheNewGuy8

flashpacker
Posts: 35

I think my fear comes from having been in Morocco and getting extremely ill (in the hospital for a week, lost 30 pounds, etc.).

Whenever I hear "be careful of the food" I think of that - but it seems like food-born problems here are mostly just diarrhea and maybe nausea. I'm guessing in Morocco I had Ghiardia or something.

Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I've had some amazing food so far - lots of green curry and sticky rice with mango and slushies...im loving it.

#11 Posted: 7/10/2010 - 19:23
MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3999

I like KFC once in a while - the fish burger. I can't eat Dunkin Doughnuts every day, but once in a while they are tasty. Mr Doughnut is OK though.

#12 Posted: 8/10/2010 - 01:14

------------------------------
Victory in Pattani