Bangkok Street food

Bangkok Street food

• Category: Client's Travel in Thailand

What are some interesting facts about street food in Bangkok?

No one would think that “One little thing” of little value like a piece of pork dumpling sold for a quarter Baht each (or 4 PCs for 1 Baht) from a humble beginning. Doing that for 106 years can still feed a family for 3 generations till today.

A Thai man of Chinese descent from an immigrant named ‘Siah’ started helping his grandfather in a family business at the age of 9. When he turned 18 he came in full-time to help his father, and soon after, he took over the business.

What business is that?

A legendary food cart ‘Street Food Vendor’ that has been selling minced pork ‘dumplings (ขนมจีบ) using the traditional recipe ‘family treasures’ passed down for more than 106 years.

Today, the business is owned by the third generation, a sole proprietor, “Pae ( uncle) Siah,” 77 years old, who is still going strong and making pork dumplings, hand-picking one-by-one to sell with the help of family members.

“ I prepare the pork at night and do a wrapping in the morning to keep its skin fresh, it goes well with black vinegar, fried garlic, and chili”-/ Pae ( uncle) Siah, 77

From ‘a quarter Baht each’ in 1965 it went up to 3.50 Bath (8p or 10¢)each today due to years of inflation. Nevertheless, ‘Uncle Siah’ sells up to two thousand a day. free tea is also provided to standing customers.

You can see him at the entrance of the Chinese temple, Plangnam Road, Chinatown, Bangkok.

He only needs a corner of the entrance to the temple in Chinatown…

To me, this is an interesting fact about street food in Bangkok. Today, you too, may try to create another ‘one-hit-wonder’ and sell it on the streets of Bangkok…only God knows how long you may last.

Instead of being so pitiful as what the lyrics of a hit song:-

“ Have you seen the old man in a closed-down market? Kicking up the paper with his worn-out shoes …♫ Let me take you by the hand, and lead you through the streets of Bangkok.”

I wish you success.

Share Now