Back in Bangkok after a decade, the street food game is different

I was in Bangkok for a few days last month, first time since 2014. The big thing I noticed is how the street food has moved. It used to be you could get a full plate of pad thai for 30 baht, about a dollar, right on Khao San Road. Now, a lot of those carts are gone or they've doubled their prices. The city cleaned up a bunch of areas, pushing vendors into specific markets. It's still cheap by western standards, but the real hack now is to walk a few blocks away from the main tourist strips. I found a lady near the Phra Khanong BTS station selling the same noodles for 40 baht, and it was way better. Makes you work a little harder for the good deals. Has anyone else found spots in big cities that are still holding out against the price hikes?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah_barnes17d ago

Ugh, that hits hard. I was just there too and had the exact same feeling, like the soul of the street food scene got a little too polished. It's all about those side streets now, you're totally right. Found an amazing boat noodle spot in a random alley near On Nut that felt like a time capsule. Makes the hunt part of the fun, I guess.

emerydixon17d ago

Wait, they doubled the price on Khao San? That's insane. I remember grabbing those plates after a night out and it felt like stealing. @noah_barnes is right about the soul getting polished away. It's like the city wants all the good stuff hidden now. You really do need a map for the real deals these days. Makes me wonder what other cities are doing this.