Thai Street Food in Bangkok

The sprawling On Nut Market met a similar fate as the ever-expanding Skytrain brings gentrification to what was once considered a remote eastern suburb. Efforts to clean up the city streets mean that it’s not just the amulet sellers of Tha Prachan and the flower vendors at the centuries-old Pak Khlong Talat who have been forced off the street. Many of the hawkers who fed them, and their customers, have been swept aside in the name of progress.

Do the changes in regulations, coupled with diners’ aspirations for air-conditioned comfort, mean that the street cart will suffer the fate of Thailand’s floating markets, doomed to become mere selfie ops that only spring to life when a busload of tourists pulls up? Fortunately for street gourmets who still value a bit of “local” colour, the answer is a resounding no. 

Thais can and do eat at any hour and require tasty food right outside their front door. Traditional stalls still attract the crowds, while trendy new spots have adapted to cater to modern tastes. Balmy alfresco dining clearly has a bright future in Krung Thep, the City of Angels, as Thais call their capital.