Bangkok street food
Sep 29th, 2009 | 01:15 PM
#102
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
I’m thinking what Kerouac is on to: “WHAT THOSE WHO DON’T EAT STREET FOOD EAT” could be cool and interesting project.
I’ll hunt around and see if we can remember, find photos and GE (Google Earth) the places we ate.
Might be a bit boring in Chiang Mai though, ‘cause we ate almost two weeks worth of dinners at the same noodle location.
If many people contribute, this could garner a lot of useful information.
It’s funny, because one of my first posts in Fodor’s, back in 2000, was about asking people in country, where was the last place you ate?
Not, where do you think we’d like to eat, or your favorite place, just the last restaurant... (we still do this on every trip)
Discovered a private restaurant (to avoid the liquor laws) with newspaper windows and all, in Rome one time that kept everybody eating and drinking into the early morning hours.
I’ll hunt around and see if we can remember, find photos and GE (Google Earth) the places we ate.
Might be a bit boring in Chiang Mai though, ‘cause we ate almost two weeks worth of dinners at the same noodle location.
If many people contribute, this could garner a lot of useful information.
It’s funny, because one of my first posts in Fodor’s, back in 2000, was about asking people in country, where was the last place you ate?
Not, where do you think we’d like to eat, or your favorite place, just the last restaurant... (we still do this on every trip)
Discovered a private restaurant (to avoid the liquor laws) with newspaper windows and all, in Rome one time that kept everybody eating and drinking into the early morning hours.
Sep 29th, 2009 | 01:50 PM
#104
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Clearly this thread is long and contains lots of words (not a bad thing in my mind) but, I’d like to remind people that no one has written (in this thread) that people who don't eat street food, are WRONG, BAD PERSON or not traveling REAL.
I believe if we were discussing New York (or XXXX), street food enthusiasm would not be pushed as much. NOT because we believe New York’s street food is not worthy of pro street food remarks, but more to the fact that street food is such an intrinsic part of Thai life.
I believe if we were discussing New York (or XXXX), street food enthusiasm would not be pushed as much. NOT because we believe New York’s street food is not worthy of pro street food remarks, but more to the fact that street food is such an intrinsic part of Thai life.
Sep 30th, 2009 | 05:43 AM
#106
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
One of the things you've missed, KW, in your discussion is that sanitation issues aren't just a matter of the vendor getting fecal matter on your food before it is cooked. Let's leave the vendor for a moment.
You earlier mentioned Hep A, as I did. Hep A is a viral illness typically spread by an infected food handler. This happens in Asia, this happens in Europe, this happens in North America. The other way Hep A is often spread is through the ingestion of contaminated shellfish. How do the shellfish get contaminated? By insufficient or non-existent sewage processing. Likewise, typhoid is spread by infected food handlers and contaminated shellfish. So places with less thorough or no sewage treatment have more contaminated shellfish.
So the whole issue of safe food and water is a complex one. Again, I recommend that people inform themselves about these matters. The resource I consider to be the best is the cdc website:
wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/safe-food-water.aspx
I have absolutely no objection to people eating whatever they'd like. I do think it is wise for people to make informed decisions about risks and to choose their risks. There is no such thing as risk-free; we all choose the risks we take.
You earlier mentioned Hep A, as I did. Hep A is a viral illness typically spread by an infected food handler. This happens in Asia, this happens in Europe, this happens in North America. The other way Hep A is often spread is through the ingestion of contaminated shellfish. How do the shellfish get contaminated? By insufficient or non-existent sewage processing. Likewise, typhoid is spread by infected food handlers and contaminated shellfish. So places with less thorough or no sewage treatment have more contaminated shellfish.
So the whole issue of safe food and water is a complex one. Again, I recommend that people inform themselves about these matters. The resource I consider to be the best is the cdc website:
wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/safe-food-water.aspx
I have absolutely no objection to people eating whatever they'd like. I do think it is wise for people to make informed decisions about risks and to choose their risks. There is no such thing as risk-free; we all choose the risks we take.
Sep 30th, 2009 | 08:58 AM
#107
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Let’s celebrate this uplifting story about growth told by GOTTALOVEPUGS above.
Gottalovepugs recounted how they, “… approached our recent first trip to SE Asia with a lot of trepidation, mostly for experiences like eating 'street food'.”
They had planned ahead NOT to eat salads or drink liquids with ice, but after “Tong” brought them, “… a whole manner of things for us to try from stalls”, they took a chance, went with the flow, tossed away their original plan of action and ate street food.
Mouth watering street food, “everything we tried was delicious”.
Gottalovepugs , wrote that they both felt a bit silly - I surmise that’s from their unnecessary apprehension about eating street food - and they now plan to be “more adventurous” on their next trips.
Heartwarming.
This account extols the best gifts that traveling has to offer, the accumulation of life changing experiences, the chance to expand your horizons and the opportunity to learn.
A great travel adventure.
Gottalovepugs recounted how they, “… approached our recent first trip to SE Asia with a lot of trepidation, mostly for experiences like eating 'street food'.”
They had planned ahead NOT to eat salads or drink liquids with ice, but after “Tong” brought them, “… a whole manner of things for us to try from stalls”, they took a chance, went with the flow, tossed away their original plan of action and ate street food.
Mouth watering street food, “everything we tried was delicious”.
Gottalovepugs , wrote that they both felt a bit silly - I surmise that’s from their unnecessary apprehension about eating street food - and they now plan to be “more adventurous” on their next trips.
Heartwarming.
This account extols the best gifts that traveling has to offer, the accumulation of life changing experiences, the chance to expand your horizons and the opportunity to learn.
A great travel adventure.
Sep 30th, 2009 | 07:52 PM
#109
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 0
Kathy - I do wish you wouldn't keep jumping to conclusions prematurely about my postings - haven't "missed" anything - I simply, out of the interests of keeping it short haven't expounded on it.
This is a forum and it is great that others can add to the information in their own time so grows organically.
I'm not about to cover the whole thing 100% as you yourself now know how big and complex an issue it is - but a knowledge of the basics can safe a holiday......
I'm fully aware professionally of the complexities of food preparation and hygiene - especially in the tropics - this is a chat forum not a scientific discussion.
The last thing I posted was actually to do with processing of food and how sugar, salt acid etc can protect against bacteria successfully breeding as opposed to chilling or freezing as used in the west – Restriction is the key as you cannot wholly prevent bacteria from entering any process.
The western concepts of "cleanliness are great - in the west - but if you use them for a yardstick in the tropics you will mislead yourself into incorrect interpretations of which food is and isn't safe to eat.
As you have re-iterated food poisoning is not just the result of bacterial toxins there are other causes.
Again you also have mentioned food poisoning is not the sole preserve of Thailand – which I hardly think needed saying - but this is a Thai forum and I have been concerned really with the cultural aspects of Thai street food and how it can give the impression of being a greater source for contracting food poisoning than it actually is.
My overall position is that it is not as bad as it looks at first glance and there are several reasons what this may be the case - some of which - not all I have pointed out here -
you obviously are doing some research into exactly how food poisoning is contracted and this is a good thing, it would prevent a lot of people missing chunks of their holiday if others too took the time to find out more about how they actually get sick from whatever they consume.
This is a forum and it is great that others can add to the information in their own time so grows organically.
I'm not about to cover the whole thing 100% as you yourself now know how big and complex an issue it is - but a knowledge of the basics can safe a holiday......
I'm fully aware professionally of the complexities of food preparation and hygiene - especially in the tropics - this is a chat forum not a scientific discussion.
The last thing I posted was actually to do with processing of food and how sugar, salt acid etc can protect against bacteria successfully breeding as opposed to chilling or freezing as used in the west – Restriction is the key as you cannot wholly prevent bacteria from entering any process.
The western concepts of "cleanliness are great - in the west - but if you use them for a yardstick in the tropics you will mislead yourself into incorrect interpretations of which food is and isn't safe to eat.
As you have re-iterated food poisoning is not just the result of bacterial toxins there are other causes.
Again you also have mentioned food poisoning is not the sole preserve of Thailand – which I hardly think needed saying - but this is a Thai forum and I have been concerned really with the cultural aspects of Thai street food and how it can give the impression of being a greater source for contracting food poisoning than it actually is.
My overall position is that it is not as bad as it looks at first glance and there are several reasons what this may be the case - some of which - not all I have pointed out here -
you obviously are doing some research into exactly how food poisoning is contracted and this is a good thing, it would prevent a lot of people missing chunks of their holiday if others too took the time to find out more about how they actually get sick from whatever they consume.
Oct 1st, 2009 | 05:58 AM
#110
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
A number of years ago in Malaysia, the government helped put together hawker centers to reduce the incidence of food-borne illness. The hawker centers have restrooms, hand washing facilities and places for the hawkers to wash dishes and eating utensils in soap and hot water. These facilities have reduced food-borne illness in Malaysia by a tremendous amount, something like 80-90%.
Of course, Malaysia isn't the only place that has hygienic hawker facilities, Singapore is well known for this. And I was delighted to hear from Hanuman there are there are some new hygienic hawker stall areas in Bangkok now.
It's true that as a health care professional and someone who has written about travel health issues here and for a number of other sites, I do keep up on the epidemiology, public health issues and the scientific literature in these areas.
Of course, Malaysia isn't the only place that has hygienic hawker facilities, Singapore is well known for this. And I was delighted to hear from Hanuman there are there are some new hygienic hawker stall areas in Bangkok now.
It's true that as a health care professional and someone who has written about travel health issues here and for a number of other sites, I do keep up on the epidemiology, public health issues and the scientific literature in these areas.
Oct 1st, 2009 | 06:17 AM
#111
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Some of the legendary street food vendors like "Goh Hub" used to sell their foods(noodles) off a row boat in klongs. As time passes and more klongs were filled in they move to the roadside or markets. Now apart from the centers set up for the vendors the more famous one now own restaurant or chain of restaurants and have kiosks at food courts in shopping malls. At the same time, those that have restaurants situated on the street side often set up tables on the walkways giving impressions that they are street food vendors.
As Kathie has pointed out seek vendors at centers or those that have access to tap water and bathrooms to reduce your chances of getting food poisoning, dysentery or diarrhea.
As Kathie has pointed out seek vendors at centers or those that have access to tap water and bathrooms to reduce your chances of getting food poisoning, dysentery or diarrhea.
Oct 4th, 2009 | 06:21 AM
#112
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Here is a link to a horrible food poisoning story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/he...meat.html?_r=1
This speaks to the "mince the meat", "shared supplies" and "distribution" (a lot of people get sick at once) points khunwilko made above.
A sad story, enough to think about stopping eating all together.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/he...meat.html?_r=1
This speaks to the "mince the meat", "shared supplies" and "distribution" (a lot of people get sick at once) points khunwilko made above.
A sad story, enough to think about stopping eating all together.
Oct 6th, 2009 | 08:24 AM
#118
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
