Eating Thai Food: Guide to Thai Cuisine Interview with Mark Wiens

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting up with Mark Wiens in Seoul, South Korea.  As an expert in travel and food in Asia, it was Mark’s first time to Korea and I figured nothing short of a traditional feast in Seoul would be sufficient.  Mark runs the ever popular Migrationology travel blog showcasing his passion for travel and food.  

I’m often dreaming of Thailand these days and I couldn’t think of a better person to interview regarding eating Thai cuisine:

Why Is Thai Food So Popular?

Q1)  I’ve often heard individuals mention Thai food as their favourite cuisine.  What do you think sets it apart from others and makes it one of the most popular destinations for tourists?

I think it’s the range of vibrant flavors that makes Thai cuisine so remarkable and appetizing. Nearly every Thai dish is balanced in flavor, a little sour, spicy, salty, and a often a sweet aftertaste. All your taste buds alive and aroused with each bite is why so many people love Thai food!

Another reason would be the fresh ingredients, the herbs like holy and sweet basil, lemongrass and kaffir limes leaves, and other tropical ingredients like fresh coconut milk and wonderful fruit.

Eating Thai Food Website: Mark Wiens

Q2)  Many know you from you flagship travel blog Migrationology but you’ve also got another fantastic site Eating Thai Food.  What inspired you to make this site and what can readers expect to find?

When I first started blogging I was traveling all around, but eventually I decided to remain in Thailand (mostly Bangkok) on a long term basis. After staying in Thailand for a few months I soon realized I had so many Thai food photos and Thai dining experiences that there was no way to publish it all on my original blog.

A passion for eating paired with so much Thai food content was the reason for beginning a site strictly dedicated to eating all sorts of delicious Thai food. You can expect to find top Thai food lists, restaurant reviews (mostly Bangkok), tips on how and what to order, and lots of food photos to get you excited about exploring Thai cuisine!

What Thai Street Food Should Visitors Try First?

Q3)  One cannot sepearte Thai cuisine from street food.  What are some dishes you recommend to others experiencing Thai food on the streets of Bangkok for the very first time?

You’re right about that, Thai street food is everywhere you look and it’s quick, convenient and delicious.

Here are a few of the most popular local Thai dishes you shouldn’t miss in Bangkok:

Pad Gaprao Gai Kai Dao (Stir fried chicken with holy basil and a fried egg on top) – This is like the hamburger of Thailand, a tasty dish that’s widely available and easy to eat on the go.

Kuay Teow Tom Yum (Noodles in hot and sour soup) – Hot noodle carts can be found on just about every street in Bangkok serving freshly boiled noodles in flavorful broth. It’s then up to you to add vinegar, chili flakes, fish sauce, or even a spoon of sugar to make it taste even better!

Som Tam Thai (Green papaya salad) – The texture of the green papaya is crisp and it is dressed in lime juice and fish sauce and laced in chilies for an extra kick you’ll love!

Bold and Spicy Thai Food!

Q4)  For those who are bold (in terms of their willingness to try exotic or spicy delicacies) what are some dishes that you would recommend? 

First of all, if you really enjoy eating spicy, you can bump up the heat by ordering everything “phet mak mak,” or very spicy!

Here are a couple dishes you should try if you’re looking for exotic or hot dishes:

Goong Dten – Translated to “dancing shrimp,” that’s exactly what it is – live mini shrimp are mixed with dressing and served still wriggling as you eat them !

Larb Neua Dip – You may have heard of normal larb (common minced pork salad), but there are other versions, like this one made with raw beef and blood.

Som Tam Pla Raa – Som tam as mentioned above is Thai green papaya salad, but instead of that limey fresh dressing like in the other version, this variety includes the famous “pla raa,” or pickled preserved fish. The flavor is pungent and can be intense.

Hardcore Backpacker Meal Plan In Bangkok

Q5)  What do you think is the ultimate meal plan for a hardcore budget backpacker with adventurous tastebuds roaming around Bangkok for the day?

Stick to the streets and get away from the main touristy areas of Bangkok to eat. Head into one of the local fresh markets like Khlong Toey or Pak Khlong Talat where you can find great local style food on the cheap. Look for street stalls that are buzzing with lots of action so you know the food is fresh and good.

If you’re really on a budget, you may want to go to a “khao rod gaeng,” stall that serves rice and a variety of pre-made curries. You can get a huge plate of rice and a few different dishes on top for 25 to 35 THB (around $1).

Thai Sweet Tooth: Thai Desserts

Q6)  For those with a sweet tooth, what are some dishes they could sample to fix that craving?

If you enjoy sweets, you’ll have the time of your life in Thailand as there is such a variety of desserts and sweet snacks. Many Thai desserts are flavored with fruit and rich coconut cream.

Khao Neow Mamuang (Sticky rice and mango) – One of the most prized Thai desserts is sweet sticky rice paired with ripe yellow mango and doused in coconut cream. I also love Khao New Toorien – durian replacing the mango!

Khanom Takoh (Coconut cream pudding)

Fuktong Sangkaya (Pumpkin filled with egg custard)

Itim Gati (fresh Thai coconut ice cream, sometimes served with sticky rice and roasted peanuts)

Learning How To Cook Thai Food

Q7)  Eating Thai food back home can be pricey at times.  Do you have any suggestions for a farang looking to master a few dishes before heading back home?

While Thai food and cooking really focuses on balancing all flavors, it’s really up to the personal eater (or chef) to determine what’s balanced.

Thais often order their dishes exactly to their liking, extra sour or sweet or extra spicy. For this reason it’s important to get a feel for what Thai food should taste like, and when you cook it’s necessary to sample until each dish is the way you want it to taste.

Thai cooking is not only about using the right amount of ingredients, but also about using the correct levels of heat and methods of preparation. For instance grinding chilies and garlic with a mortar and pestle really makes a difference to bring out the flavor!

Overall, have fun with Thai cooking and make everything so it’s most appealing to yourself or whoever you’re cooking for!

What Is The Ultimate Thai Meal

Q8)  Finally, this is an unfair question but what would be your ultimate full course Thai meal if you had to make such a decision?

This is a jumbled mixture of different dishes from around the country, so it would be hard to actually eat all these dishes in one single restaurant meal, but here are a few of my favorites!

Pla Chon Lui Suan – Steamed snakehead fish with vegetables and herbs

Pad Sata – Stir fried sink beans!

Gaeng Som – Hot and sour southern Thai soup (a southern Thai food staple)

Pad Pak Gachet – Stir fried water mimosa

Nam Prik Kaphi – Shrimp paste chili sauce eaten with fresh or steamed vegetables

I’d end my meal with a mega chunk of fresh durian!

How to Eat Thai Food Without Getting Completely Overwhelmed

Heat, traffic, tuk-tuks, and then suddenly a tiny cart on the corner is turning out stir-fries that taste better than most restaurants back home. The good news is: you don’t need to be an expert or a food blogger to eat really, really well in Thailand.

You just need a loose game plan.

Think of Thai food as a set of levers you can play with: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, crunchy, fresh. When you mix a couple of dishes at each meal, you start to understand why people get hooked for life.

Let’s break it down in a way that helps you actually plan your trip and your meals, not just drool over photos.

Bangkok as Your Thai Food Bootcamp

If you’re flying into Thailand for the first time, Bangkok is basically your orientation camp for Thai flavours. It’s chaotic, yes, but it’s also where you can sample dishes from all over the country in one day if you want.

Choosing a Food-Friendly Base in Bangkok

You can eat well almost anywhere in Bangkok, but some neighbourhoods make life easier when your main daily objective is “what are we eating next?”

Here’s a simple way to think about a few popular bases:

If your main goal is food and you’re not terrified of a bit of chaos, Chinatown after dark is a great initiation. For a softer landing with lots of options and easy metro access, Sukhumvit does the job.

A One-Day Thai Food Game Plan in Bangkok

Use this as a template for your first full “eat Thai all day” experience.

Breakfast: Rice, Noodles, or Something Sweet

Thais don’t really have “breakfast food” the way we do. They just eat. That’s good news for you.

Look out for:

• Jok (rice porridge) with minced pork and egg
• Khao kai jeow – crispy Thai-style omelette over rice with chili sauce
• Simple noodle soups with fish balls or pork
• If you’re easing in: toast and coffee at a local café plus a small bag of fried dough sticks

If your hotel buffet has rice dishes and curries, don’t be shy about going savoury early. It sets the tone for the day.

Late-Morning Market Snack

Head to a fresh market or a local wet market.

You’re hunting for:

• Bags of cut tropical fruit (mango, pineapple, guava)
• Small grilled skewers (pork, chicken, fish balls)
• Fresh herbal drinks or iced teas

Eat little, but often. You don’t want to fill up before lunch. There is always another bowl of something waiting around the corner.

Lunch: Your First Proper Street Stall Feast

By lunchtime, pick a busy corner shop or stall. Busy is the keyword.

Easy “first lunch” options:

• Pad kraprao gai kai dao – basil chicken and fried egg over rice
• Kuay teow tom yum – tom yum noodle soup with your choice of noodles
• Khao man gai – chicken rice with clear soup

If there’s a stall with trays of curries and stir-fries (khao gaeng), point, smile, and let them heap two or three dishes over rice. Budget-friendly. Hugely satisfying.

Afternoon Coffee and Thai Sweets

When the heat peaks, duck into:

• A café for iced coffee or Thai tea
• A stall with khanom (Thai sweets): coconut puddings, pumpkin custard, or anything wrapped in banana leaf

Sticky rice pops up here too: coconut sticky rice with grilled banana, or later in the day mango sticky rice if it’s mango season.

Dinner: Shared Dishes and Cold Drinks

Dinner is when you can start thinking in terms of “spread” instead of one plate.

A good dinner for two or three people might look like:

• 1 spicy salad (som tam or larb)
• 1 stir-fry (morning glory, water mimosa, or basil pork)
• 1 curry (green curry, panang, or gaeng som if you’re feeling bold)
• Steamed rice for everyone

If you’re near a night market, add skewers and snacks on top of that: grilled chicken, sausages, little coconut pancakes.

You’ll sleep well.

Ordering Like You Know What You’re Doing

Half the fun of Thai food is ordering. The other half is eating. Learning a couple of phrases goes a long way.

Simple Thai Food Phrases That Actually Help

You don’t need full sentences. You just need these magic words:

• Phet nid noi – a little spicy
• Mai phet – not spicy
• Phet mak mak – very spicy
• Aroy mak – very delicious
• Khao – rice
• Gai (chicken), moo (pork), neua (beef), goong (shrimp), pla (fish)

So you can say something like:

• “Pad kraprao gai, phet nid noi” – basil chicken stir-fry, a little spicy
• “Tom yum goong, mai phet” – shrimp tom yum, not spicy (it will probably still have a kick)

Smile, point, and don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself a bit. People are generally pretty forgiving when you’re clearly trying.

Balancing a Thai Meal: How to Mix Dishes

The easiest mistake is to order three spicy dishes and then wonder why you’re sweating through your shirt.

Think in categories:

For two people, one dish from three different rows plus rice is a nice balance. For four people, you can happily go up to five or six dishes without overdoing it.

Regional Thai Food Roadmap

One of the best things about Thailand is that “Thai food” isn’t one thing. The flavours shift as you move around the country.

Using Bangkok as your classroom, you can then fan out and chase regional specialities.

Central Thailand & Bangkok

Flavour profile: balanced, a bit of everything, classic dishes you see in cookbooks.

What to look for:

• Tom yum goong – hot and sour prawn soup
• Green curry – coconut-based, usually with chicken or fish balls
• Pad thai – yes, there is good pad thai, especially at busy local stalls
• Boat noodles – rich, aromatic noodle soups, often around canals or specific markets

Expect:

• Plenty of rice and noodle dishes
• A mix of sweet, sour, and mildly spicy
• Lots of choice on every corner

Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai)

Flavour profile: aromatic rather than blisteringly spicy, smoky, herbal.

Dishes to hunt down:

• Khao soi – coconut curry noodle soup with crispy noodles on top
• Sai ua – grilled northern sausage, full of herbs and chilies
• Nam prik ong / nam prik num – chunky chili dips with vegetables
• Gaeng hung lay – Burmese-influenced pork curry

Market nights here are gold. Live music, grilled meats, bowls of khao soi, and mango sticky rice for dessert.

Isaan (Northeast Thailand)

Flavour profile: bold, sour, spicy, lots of grilled meat and sticky rice.

Signature foods:

• Som tam in all its forms: with peanuts, with salted egg, with fermented fish
• Gai yang – grilled chicken with dipping sauces
• Larb and nam tok – minced meat salads bursting with lime, chili, and herbs
• Sticky rice with almost everything

This is the region you’re channeling when you tell someone you “love real spicy Thai food” and then sweat through your shirt five minutes later.

Southern Thailand

Flavour profile: spicy, coconut-rich, influenced by Malay and Muslim communities.

Typical dishes:

• Gaeng som – sour curry, often with fish and vegetables, seriously fiery
• Massaman curry – rich and mild, with potatoes and peanuts or cashews
• Crab and seafood curries along the coasts
• Coconut-heavy desserts and snacks

If you’re island-hopping, don’t just eat pizza and burgers at beach bars. The little local kitchens are where the good stuff lives.

Budget Breakdown: What Thai Food Actually Costs

Prices vary by city and neighbourhood, but this is a rough snapshot that helps you plan.

If you stick mostly to street food and simple shophouses, you can eat very well on a small daily budget. Sprinkle in a food court here and there, and maybe one nicer night out, and you’ve covered a broad range of Thai food experiences without going broke.

Food Safety, Spice Management, and Common Mistakes

Thai food is unbelievably good. It also comes with a few booby traps if you’re new.

Staying (Mostly) Healthy While You Eat Everything

A few simple habits make a huge difference:

• Follow the crowds
  Busy stalls = high turnover = fresher food.
• Watch it being cooked
  Anything cooked to order at high heat is usually a safer bet than something sitting lukewarm for hours.
• Be reasonable with ice and salad
  In big cities ice is often fine, but if you have a sensitive stomach, start slow. Same with raw veg.
• Hydrate like it’s your job
  Spicy food + heat = you need more water than you think.

You don’t need to be paranoid, just observant.

Handling the Heat (Without Ruining Your Day)

One of the classic rookie errors is trying to eat at Mark-Wiens-level spice on your first day.

A gentler approach:

• Start with “phet nid noi” (a little spicy) for the first couple of days
• Let your body adjust before you go to “phet mak mak”
• Remember that salads and northeastern dishes (Isaan food) often come hotter than fried rice or simple stir-fries

If a dish arrives and your lips are on fire, don’t be shy about ordering extra rice or a milder side dish. No heroics required.

Common Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make

A few patterns I’ve seen again and again:

• Living on pad thai and fried rice only
  They’re fine, but Thailand has so much more. Mix in salads, soups, and curries.
• Only eating at tourist restaurants
  You pay more and often get less flavour. Walk one or two blocks away from the busiest backpacker streets.
• Assuming “not spicy” means “no spice”
  In Thailand, “not spicy” can still mean “a bit spicy.” Adjust expectations (and bring tissues).
• Eating huge portions at one sitting
  Thai food culture leans more towards grazing – small meals and snacks throughout the day. Your stomach may prefer that too.

Bringing Thai Food Home With You

The hardest part of leaving Thailand is realising your local takeaway rarely tastes the same. The second hardest part is trying to explain “proper som tam” to friends who think Thai food is just pad thai and spring rolls.

What to Pick Up Before You Fly Out

If you want to recreate even a slice of what you’ve eaten, stock up on a few things:

• Curry pastes – red, green, massaman, panang
• Dried chilies and chili flakes
• Kaffir lime leaves (dried or frozen)
• Palm sugar and fish sauce
• A sturdy mortar and pestle if you’re feeling serious

Most of these are easy to pack and last a long time. Check your country’s customs rules for food imports before you go wild.

A Simple “Thai Night” Menu You Can Actually Cook

Back home, when you’re missing Bangkok, you don’t need to recreate a whole restaurant menu. Start with three simple dishes:

• One stir-fry:
  Pad kraprao-style basil stir-fry with chicken or tofu
• One curry:
  Green curry using a store-bought paste, coconut milk, eggplant, and whatever protein you like
• One fresh element:
  A basic herb salad with lime juice, fish sauce (or soy), sugar, garlic, and chilies

Serve everything with jasmine rice. It won’t taste exactly like that corner stall in Bangkok, but it’ll be close enough to trigger the memories.

Eating Thai Food Questions Answered: Practical Tips, Spicy Truths & First-Time Thai Cuisine Advice

Is Thai food in Thailand really that much spicier than back home?

Yes. The heat level in Thailand can be a whole different universe compared to the “Thai” dishes you’ve had back home. Local-style salads and curries, especially Isaan dishes, are often made for people who grew up eating chilies daily, so what’s “normal” for them can be a face-melter for visitors. The good news is that most places are happy to tone things down if you ask, and once you ease your way in, the spice becomes part of the fun rather than something to fear.

What are the best beginner-friendly Thai dishes if I’m nervous about spice?

Absolutely. If you’re easing in, start with gentler, comforting plates like khao man gai (chicken rice), pad kraprao ordered “phet nid noi” (a little spicy), pad thai from a busy stall, or simple noodle soups with pork or fish balls. They still have loads of flavour, but they won’t blow your head off. Once you feel braver, you can move on to tom yum, som tam, and spicier curries, knowing you can always dial the heat back down if needed.

Is Bangkok street food actually safe to eat for first-time visitors?

Mostly, yes. I always tell people to follow the locals: if a stall is busy and dishes are being cooked to order, that’s a great sign. I avoid food that’s been sitting around lukewarm for ages and I pay attention to how clean the cooking area looks. You might still have a slightly grumpy stomach once or twice just from changing diet and climate, but with a bit of common sense, Bangkok’s street food scene is more joy than danger.

How much should I budget per day in Thailand if I want to eat mostly local food?

It depends. If you stick mainly to street stalls, simple shophouses, and food courts, you can eat very well on a modest daily food budget that would barely cover a single restaurant meal in many Western cities. If you mix in the odd café brunch or nicer Thai restaurant, your daily costs go up, but you’re still getting a lot of flavour for your money. The real budget killer isn’t the food itself, it’s when you quietly add coffees, cakes, craft cocktails, and imported treats on top of the local dishes every day.

Which Bangkok neighborhoods are best to stay in if I’m traveling mainly for Thai food?

For food-obsessed travelers, I love using Bangkok as a giant buffet with a comfortable base. Chinatown is chaotic but incredible at night, with seafood, noodles, and dessert stands lining the streets. Sukhumvit (around Asok–Thong Lo) gives you a mix of street stalls, local restaurants, and trendy cafés with easy BTS access. Old Town keeps you close to classic shophouse eateries and markets, while areas around Victory Monument or Ari feel very “everyday Bangkok” with great noodles and cheap canteens.

How many days do I need in Bangkok to feel like I’ve had a solid Thai food experience?

I’d say give yourself at least three full days if food is a priority. That gives you time for a market wander, a day of street-stall lunches and shophouse dinners, and one or two more “planned” meals where you chase specific dishes you’re curious about. With a week, you can slow down, revisit favourites, explore different neighbourhoods, and start recognising the same soup lady or curry stall on your daily walks. The more days you give yourself, the less pressure you feel to eat everything in sight at once.

Can vegetarians or vegans eat well in Thailand, especially at street stalls?

Yes. Thailand can be surprisingly friendly for vegetarians and reasonably workable for vegans once you learn a couple of phrases and accept that it won’t always be perfect. Look for simple stir-fries with vegetables, tofu, and basil over rice, meat-free noodle soups, and dishes labelled “jay,” which are closer to vegan Buddhist-style food. The tricky part is fish sauce and shrimp paste sneaking into sauces and curries, so it’s worth learning to ask for no fish sauce and being flexible when a dish can’t be fully adapted at a tiny street stall.

What are some good rules of thumb for ordering Thai food when I don’t speak Thai?

Keep it simple and use a mix of pointing and a few key words. I usually scan what other people are eating, point at something that looks good, and say the name of the dish if I recognise it, or just smile and ask if they can make “pad kraprao gai” or “tom yum goong.” Learning basic phrases like “mai phet” (not spicy), “phet nid noi” (a little spicy), and a few protein words goes a long way. Most vendors appreciate the effort, and if all else fails, pointing at trays of curries and letting them serve a mixed plate over rice works beautifully.

Are Thai cooking classes worth doing if I want to recreate dishes back home?

Absolutely. A good cooking class gives you more than just recipes; you get a feel for how things should taste, how to balance salty-sour-sweet-spicy, and how much difference fresh herbs and a mortar and pestle make. Many classes include a market visit, which is great for learning how to choose ingredients. Back home, you won’t replicate everything perfectly, but you’ll be a lot closer than if you just followed a random recipe online, and you’ll know how to adjust dishes to your own taste.

How spicy should I order my food at first, and how do I ask them to adjust it?

Start lower than you think. Even “a little spicy” in Thailand can feel pretty fiery on day one, especially with salads and Isaan dishes, so I usually begin with “phet nid noi” until my body catches up. If you really don’t handle spice well, “mai phet” is your friend, though often you’ll still get a gentle warmth from chilies in the sauce or curry paste. Once you’ve had a few meals and you’re craving more kick, that’s when “phet mak mak” starts to make sense.

Are there any common mistakes foreigners make when eating Thai food that I should avoid?

Oh yes. The big ones are living on pad thai and fried rice only, sticking to tourist restaurants, and ordering three aggressively spicy dishes at once with nothing mild to balance them. People also forget to drink enough water, underestimate how filling sticky rice and curries can be, and panic if they can’t find the exact dish from a blog list. If you eat where it’s busy, mix spicy and mild dishes, and stay curious instead of chasing perfection, you’ll have a much better time.

What Thai desserts should I prioritize if I’ve only got a few days?

If you only have room for a few, go straight for mango sticky rice when it’s mango season, coconut-based sweets like coconut ice cream or little coconut puddings, and any pumpkin-and-custard combination you see. Fresh tropical fruit is basically a dessert course on its own, especially pineapple, watermelon, and ripe mangos sold in bags with a little salt-and-chili sprinkle. And if you spot tiny coconut pancakes or anything sizzling in a cast-iron pan with batter and coconut milk, join the queue – those stalls are rarely a bad idea.

Is Thai food a good option for kids or picky eaters who don’t love heat?

Yes. Thailand can be fantastic for kids and cautious eaters as long as you don’t force them straight into the deep end with fiery salads and super-spicy curries. There are plenty of mild dishes like chicken rice, simple noodle soups, omelette over rice, grilled meats, and fried rice with just a hint of seasoning. You can ask for “mai phet” to keep things gentle and then gradually let them try a bite or two of something spicier from your plate if they’re curious.

What’s the best way to fit regional Thai food (North, Isaan, South) into a short trip?

It depends on your route. If you’re just in Bangkok, you can still sample a lot of regional flavours because the city pulls in people (and dishes) from all over the country. If you’ve got more time, heading north to Chiang Mai for khao soi and northern sausages, spending time in Isaan for grilled meat and sticky rice, or visiting the south for seafood and rich curries makes the differences really obvious. Even on a short trip, a mix of central, northern, and northeastern dishes in Bangkok alone will give you a solid taste of how varied Thai food actually is.

What are some easy Thai dishes I can start cooking at home after my trip?

Start simple. Basil stir-fries over rice, green curry using a good store-bought paste, and a basic tom yum soup are all realistic for a home kitchen, even without specialist equipment. If you can find fish sauce, lime, chilies, garlic, and fresh herbs, you’re already halfway there. The key is to taste as you go, adjust a little at a time, and aim for that same salty-sour-sweet balance you loved on the street corners in Bangkok.

Turning Inspiration Into a Real Plan

Listening to Mark talk about “phet mak mak” dishes and dancing shrimp might make Thai food sound intense and intimidating. On the ground, it’s surprisingly approachable.

You don’t need a list of 100 restaurants or a spreadsheet of dishes. You just need to:

• Pick a food-friendly base
• Eat where it’s busy
• Mix a spicy dish, a comforting dish, and rice
• Say “phet nid noi” until you’re ready for more fire
• Let markets, smells, and sizzling woks pull you down side streets you wouldn’t have walked down otherwise

Do that for a few days and you’ll understand why people talk about Thai food the way others talk about first love.

And you’ll probably already be planning your next bowl of noodles before your plane even takes off.

Keep up with all of Mark’s adventures related to food and travel by following Migrationology, Eating Thai Food and subscribing to his Migrationology youtube travel channel.  Additionally, one can connect with him on his facebook fan page for both sites (Migrationology Facebook Fan Page & Eating Thai Food Facebook Fan Page) and on twitter.