Curious About Thailand’s Night Markets? Here’s What You’ll Find
Night markets in Thailand are only open for business after sunset. However, they offer the best opportunities to shop for cheap products and enjoy the most authentic Thai street foods.
Besides shopping, Thai night markets also make fantastic vacation spots. You get to bask in the lively atmosphere, watch cultural shows, take stunning photos, and eat amazing food.
In this post, we’ll reveal everything you’ll find in a typical Thai night market. Discover what makes these places so special, the popular foods on display, and how to enjoy their flavors at home.
What Makes Thai Night Markets So Special?
Thai night markets are special because of the social experience they offer. These are places where local and foreign tourists can interact while they dine, shop, and take in elements of Thai culture. These markets are similar to festivals, as they feature music, bright lights, artist performances, and food stalls.
The foods sold are affordable, unique, and exotic. They range from street snacks to restaurant-grade traditional dishes.
You can also buy all kinds of goods, including handcrafted souvenirs, clothing, gadgets, and household items.
Some of the largest Thai night markets are located in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Examples are Rot Fai Market, Tha Pae Sunday Walking Street, and Chiang Mai Night Bazaar.
Popular Foods Found at Thai Night Markets
When you enter a Thai night market, there’s a good chance that you get overwhelmed by the countless food options available in the area. To help you make a more effective choice, we’ve curated a list of the most beloved street food items in Thai night markets. Check it out below.
Grilled Skewers
This is a dish made by marinating meat in soy sauce, vegetable oil, lime zest, and brown sugar before grilling it on a stick. Vendors typically serve the dish with peanut sauce. Pork is the most common meat used for grilled skewers in Thai night markets. Other popular meats are chicken and beef.
Spicy Noodles
Lovers of culinary heat will have a great time exploring the different spicy noodles sold at night markets in Thailand. Pad Kee Mao, also known as Thai drunken noodles, is the most famous of the lot. It’s made with wide dried rice noodles, chili, garlic, oyster sauce, and several other ingredients. Pad Kee Mao tastes great with cold beer.
Pad Thai
Although not as spicy as some of the other noodles in the markets, pad thai is still a favorite among local and foreign tourists. It features stir-fried rice noodles, eggs, peanuts, tofu, shrimp, bean sprouts, and other vegetables. Pad thai is one of the most popular street foods in Thailand.
Mango Sticky Rice
This is one of the most unique Thai desserts you’ll find on the streets. It’s made by topping fresh sticky rice with coconut milk and slices of mango. The result is a sweet dessert with an irresistibly chewy texture.
Gaeng Hang Lay (Pork Belly Curry)
Gaeng Hang Lay is a specialty dish that’s most famous in the night markets of northern Thailand. The dish consists of tender pork braised in curry sauce filled with herbs and spices.
Thai Sausage
Sai Ua is a Thai sausage made with pork, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, herbs, and spices. Vendors typically serve it with sticky rice.
Pork Leg On Rice
Street rice in Thailand is often sold with a variety of meat and vegetable toppings. One of the most delicious toppings is braised pork. This tender meat is often chopped up, spread on the rice, and seasoned with a drizzle of soy sauce.
Khao Soi
This is a curry noodle soup from the northern region of Thailand. It’s sold at every night market within the city of Chiang Mai. The dish is basically egg noodles in coconut milk and curry broth. Vendors top the crispy noodles with fried peppers and vegetables.
Deep-Fried Insects
If you want to enjoy arguably the most unique experience in a Thai night market, you should try one of the deep-fried insects, especially the scorpion. This dish is savory, crunchy, and tastes a bit like lobster. Other options include cricket, grasshopper, and worm. The insects are seasoned with soy sauce, pepper, and salt after deep-frying.
Thai Grilled Squid
This is a street dish made by marinating fresh squid in oyster and soy sauces mixed with herbs, spices, and vegetables. The squid is then grilled until it becomes hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Thai grilled squid is also known as pla muek yang.
Snacks in the Spotlight: Lay's Hot Chili Squid and Sweet Basil Chips
You don’t have to travel every time you need a taste of Thailand. Thanks to the Thai-inspired flavors of Lay’s Chips available on Bokksu Market, all you have to do is place an order and get these flavorful delights delivered to your home.
Our top recommendation is Lay’s Hot Chili Squid Potato Chips, which brings the spicy, sweet, and savory taste of pla muek yang to your snack table. It’s seasoned with hot chili and umami-rich spices, giving you the same flavors as the snacks found in Thai night markets.
Lay’s Sweet Basil Potato Chips is another snack inspired by Thai street food. The taste of sweet basil, one of the most common herbs in Thailand, brings you closer to the local cuisine through snacks. This taste is so authentic that you can crush the chips and use the powder to coat chicken and seafood.
Bokksu is not responsible for the accuracy of the products’ nutritional or allergen information. Warning: California’s Proposition 65 may be in effect. For more information,visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Some Bokksu Market products are produced overseas and may have a Production Date printed on the packaging, rather than a Best Buy Date as is standard in North America. If your product appears expired, do not be alarmed! This is most likely the Production Date. All items have been double checked to ensure they are not expired and safe to eat.
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Three Mountains Original Sriracha: A Must-Try Thai Seasoning
The flavor-packed Three Mountains Original Sriracha is one of the most common chili sauces among vendors in Thai night market dishes. This famous product is used on all kinds of meats, soups, and snacks.
Bokksu is not responsible for the accuracy of the products’ nutritional or allergen information. Warning: California’s Proposition 65 may be in effect. For more information,visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Some Bokksu Market products are produced overseas and may have a Production Date printed on the packaging, rather than a Best Buy Date as is standard in North America. If your product appears expired, do not be alarmed! This is most likely the Production Date. All items have been double checked to ensure they are not expired and safe to eat.
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Three Mountains Sriracha (Yellow) is unique because it does not use red jalapeños like your typical Sriracha hot sauce. Instead, it contains Thai burapa chilies, which give the sauce a sweeter taste.
The Sweet Side of Thai Night Markets: Desserts and Drinks
Fans of sweet treats will love spending time in a Thai night market, thanks to the abundance of desserts and drinks in the area. Dessert sellers focus on both taste and appearance. So, be ready to take some tantalizing photos for Facebook and Instagram. We’ve already discussed one of these great desserts, the mango sticky rice. There are many others, however.
Another popular sweet treat is the Thai coconut pudding. It’s a meal of cupcakes filled with coconut extracts. The cake batter is made from flour, rice, sugar, and coconut milk. Coconut pudding can be topped with onion or sweet corn. Just so you know, Thai coconuts are some of the highest quality in the world, and if you want to discover what they taste like, give Chaokoh Coconut Juice with Pulp a try. It’s available on Bokksu Market.
If we were to recommend one beverage in a night market, it would be Thai iced tea. This creamy and sweet drink is made from Thai tea leaves, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk.
Savory Street Eats: Skewers, Noodles, and More
Although it has its fair share of iconic sweet treats, Thai cuisine is most famous for its savory street food. Dishes like grilled skewers, pad thai, sausage, and pork belly curry are everywhere in the market. Even foreign tourists who have never had Thai food feel the urge to try these dishes when the aroma hits their nostrils. Thai savory dishes are not only tasty but highly affordable, and they continue to generate the majority of the revenue made by night markets.
What Are the Most Popular Snacks in Thailand?
Three of the most popular snacks in Thailand are mango sticky rice, coconut pudding (or coconut rice pancakes), and potato chips. You may have to visit a Thai eatery to get the first two, but when it comes to potato chips, Bokksu Market has you covered. We offer Lay’s Chips with Thai-inspired flavors, including sweet basil and chili squid.
Bokksu is not responsible for the accuracy of the products’ nutritional or allergen information. Warning: California’s Proposition 65 may be in effect. For more information,visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Some Bokksu Market products are produced overseas and may have a Production Date printed on the packaging, rather than a Best Buy Date as is standard in North America. If your product appears expired, do not be alarmed! This is most likely the Production Date. All items have been double checked to ensure they are not expired and safe to eat.
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Discover the Flavors of Thailand at Home
Let’s help you recreate the Thai night market experience. For snacks, check out the potato chip flavors we mentioned earlier in this post. We also have Mama Thai Instant Noodles (Pad Thai) for lovers of traditional noodle dishes.
If you would like to cook with Thai-inspired ingredients, check out the following:
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Maesri Thai Yellow Karee Curry Paste
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Kuze Fuku Yuzu Sweet Chili Sauce
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Golden Boy Fish Sauce
Indulge in savory Thai snacks like Lay’s Sweet Basil and Hot Chili Squid chips. They are perfect for when you’re on the road or at work and craving a light snack. Their peculiar flavor makes them stand out from your traditional chips. You can also try Lay's Nori Seaweed Potato Chips for a unique, umami-rich experience.
The Role of Spices in Thai Night Market Cuisine
Night market dishes rely heavily on local spices and seasonings to enhance the flavors of the light ingredients they contain. These condiments also add heat and improve the aroma of the dishes. If you’re planning to eat something from Thai cuisine, expect a great deal of spiciness.
Asian Grocery Store Finds: Bringing Thai Flavors to Your Kitchen
Feel free to explore Bokksu Market for unique Thai products, from sauces to snacks, that can elevate your meals. We offer a curated selection of Thai and Asian snacks that bring the night market experience to your home. We also provide a smooth delivery system using basic info like email, address, and phone number. Happy shopping!
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