Are you a vegetarian or vegan living or traveling in Thailand? Simply because Thailand is not an English-speaking country, a lack of communication abilities can make this diet and lifestyle difficult to maintain. But don’t let this deter your from experiencing the Land of Smiles. There is an abundance of amazing fresh fruits and vegetables at nearly every market in the country, plus with a few tricks and a little preparation you can easily remain a veggie throughout your time in Thailand.
Good news for vegans: not a lot of dairy here, abundance of fresh fruits and veggies
Most desserts are vegan
Tips and Tricks for Vegetarians and Vegans in Thailand
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State your diet before ordering anything.
If eating vegetarian or vegan is very important to you, lead every conversation you have waiters or cooks with a solid statement about your special diet. It may be abrupt or out of place to immediately say “I’m vegetarian” but it will be worth it to avoid any mistakes.
“Gin jay” is what you should say when you want to tell someone you are vegan (or a strict vegetarian). The first part “gin” is pronounced with a hard “G” as in “gimp” (as opposed to the J sound). The second word should be said long and slow, making sure to drop the tone toward the end of the word. Saying “gin jay” will make sure that no animal products such as the popular ingredients fish sauce are used in your food.
If you are a vegetarian but still eat egg and dairy and don’t mind a little fish sauce, you can say “Mang-sow-ee-rat” which means food with no visible pieces of meat but can include eggs and dairy.
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Print out a sign to show vendors
Thai words can be difficult to pronounce for foreigners, so if you want to be very safe with ordering food, consider printing out a small card to keep in your wallet that says “I’m vegetarian” so you can show it to a waiter or vendor whenever it comes time to order. When you do, make sure you smile and are as polite as possible.
This sign is written in Thai and says “vegan” = กินเจ
This sign is written in Thai and says “vegetarian” = มังสวิรัติ You can use the printable cards on the right hand side. First sign means I am Vegan and the second longer word means I am vegetarian in Thai. -
Keep an eye out for the vegetarian restaurant sign
Some restaurants in Thailand will have a sign out front or even on their menu that says it serves vegetarian food. Usually it’s red and yellow and seems to look like the number 17. Memorize what this looks like so when you explore a new place you can spot the vegetarian places that may not be listed online.
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Take advantage of smartphone apps!
If you have the luxury of taking a smartphone with you, download Google Translate, or a similar app that can sound out the words over the speaker. While most Thai’s can read, some cannot, so this will help you in those situations when a vendor is having trouble understanding your foreign accent. All you do is open the app, type in a word, hit translate and then play the word on your speaker. -
Research some dishes before you come to Thailand
If you are serious about maintaining you vegan or vegetarian diet while in Thailand, it will beneficial for you to research some dishes that you can eat before you arrive. You may be surprised that animal
products such as fish sauce and milk powder might be found in unexpected dishes. Research some dishes that sound good to you and then you can be prepared asking if the food vendor has the dish. For example, one popular vegetarian dish is Som Tam, or green papaya salad.
To ask about a specific dish, say “Mee (som tam) mai?”
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Explore the farmers market:
If ordering food in a restaurant or market makes you uncomfortable, you can always check out the many farmers markets of Thailand and pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables with steamed rice and make a nice healthy meal for yourself. There are so many amazing fruits and veggies here that you should have no problem finding enough to eat.
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Consider staying somewhere with a kitchen:
If you already have a house or a condo in Thailand, surely you will use it to prepare your own vegetarian or vegan food. But if you are only travelling in Thailand, you may want to consider staying somewhere that offers you a kitchen. You can find places on the website AirBnB, which rents out houses and condos for short periods of time. You can also try to find a Bed and Breakfast accommodation, check to see if your hostel has a kitchen. If the latter, this is not only a great way to live more like a local, but also a great way to meet people.
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Take a vegetarian Thai cooking class:
If you are going to be in Thailand for a long period of time, you should consider seeking out a Thai cooking class. You might know how to prepare vegetarian or vegan food back in your home country, but internationally shipped food products can become very pricey and difficult to find. Taking a vegetarian cooking class will be very helpful because not only will it teach you how to prepare delicious dishes, but will also teach you about the different ingredients that are commonly found in Thailand. The class will give you a new perspective on how foods are prepared, which will in turn allow you to identify vegan or vegetarian foods faster, without asking. Finally, the instructors generally speak very good English so can answer all of your questions about vegetarian and vegan eating in Thailand. Here is a link to one vegetarian cooking class in Bangkok: http://www.maykaidee.com
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Learn how to say what you don’t want:
While it’s important to learn how to communicate the fact that you are vegetarian or vegan, it’s almost equally important to learn how to say what you don’t want. To say you don’t want something, put the words “Mai ow…” before the ingredient. Here are some simple words to know:
Guy – chicken
Moo – pork
Bahlah – fish
Goon – shrimp
Goonhaeng – dried shrimp
Nua saat – beef
Poo– crab
Ped – duck
Nam plah – fish sauce
Nam man ho – oyster sauce
Ka pi – shrimp paste
Khai – egg
Nom – milk
Example: To say “I don’t want chicken please”, you should say “Mai ow guy, ka” as a female, or “Mai ow guy, kap” as a male.
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Remain calm and veggie on!
As a vegetarian or vegan, you have chosen life that has more daily challenges than carnivores. One of the most beautiful things about travelling is the satisfaction you get from meeting challenges. If you get frustrated and hungry, just remember the common Thai phrase “Mai pen rai” (It’s ok/ no problem/ all good), pick up some fresh fruits and veggies, and know that you are growing as a person and a vegetarian/vegan!
