Thailand Archives - Pale Ale Travel

Is There Uber in Thailand? Your Ride-Hailing Questions Answered & Practical Tips

October 22, 2024October 22, 2024Asia, Thailand, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

Known for its pristine turquoise beaches, unparalleled and vibrant nightlife, world-class gastronomy, and bustling cities, it’s no surprise that Thailand isn’t just one of the most visited countries in Asia but the world – seeing an estimated 29 million international tourist arrivals in 2023 alone.

With millions of tourists arriving each year, many visitors use ride-hailing apps and services to navigate and traverse the “Land of a Thousand Smiles,” myself included. Globally, Uber has become synonymous with ride-hailing and sharing, and is typically the first app that pops into your mind when it comes to comfortably and conveniently “getting around.”

However, tourists traveling to Thailand, expecting to hail an Uber with the ease they do back home, may be surprised to learn that Uber is not available in Thailand.

While Uber did attempt to permeate the Thai market in 2014, garnering considerable momentum and popularity, its presence was ultimately short-lived due to cultural factors, regulatory barriers, and intense competition – primarily the more localized (and already established) Southeast Asian ride-hailing provider Grab.

Today, Grab is emphatically…I repeat…emphatically, the number one ride-hailing service and app both tourists and locals alike use to efficiently and affordably get around Thailand (and get food delivered).

Below, I’ll walk you through in greater detail everything you need to know about navigating Thailand, your transportation options available, some pitfalls to avoid while doing so, and a bit about my experiences using Grab in Thailand.

What You Need to Know About the Legal Drinking Age in Thailand

December 3, 2023July 17, 2024Asia, Thailand, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

Thailand isn’t just renowned as a cultural, spiritual, and gastronomical epicenter of Asia, it’s also one of the premier go-to drinking and nightlife destinations for every type of libation enthusiast out there. Trust me, I’ve tested this out far more than the human body should theoretically be able to handle.

From raucous backpacker streets with free-flowing beer towers (and funky balloons) to sophisticated rooftop bars and cocktail lounges of world-class five-star hotels, to the bustling, salacious walking streets found across every corner of the country, smokey convivial BBQ beer gardens, and creative high-ABV craft beer bars and breweries, “of age” drinkers can pick whatever type of poison tickles their fancy in the ‘Land of Smiles’.

But what exactly is the legal drinking age in Thailand?

While you might think that the drinking age is similar to neighboring Asian countries, you might just be surprised to find that Thailand’s drinking age differs significantly. Read on to find out more about important alcohol laws in Thailand so that you don’t end up on the next season of ‘Locked Up Abroad’.

The Meat & Cheese Georgian Triumvirate of Bangkok: Khachapuri, Khinkali, & Tolma

August 6, 2023August 13, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

“I’ll take cuisines that you would never see in Bangkok, Thailand for $100, Alex.” “This popular dish features unleavened bread formed into a boat shape and filled in its center with cheese, eggs, and sometimes meat.” “What is Georgian food, Alex?” “That’s correct. In last place, we have Big Body who has just correctly answered his first question of the day and now has the board.”

I can thank ‘Avra’, a popular Georgian and Greek restaurant-hybrid in Bangkok for giving me this knowledge that keeps me from getting shut out in my imaginary Jeopardy! Debut. Even in my dreams, I’m the worst contestant on the show.

A Scrumptious Seafood Congee in Bangkok’s Buzzing Chinatown

August 5, 2023August 13, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

I went on several eating marathons in Bangkok. But I offset them by walking everywhere. My most arduous and longest journey of the one-month stint I did in Bangkok had to be walking from Sukhumvit 11 out to Chinatown. I was a man on a mission. Other than getting to Chinatown in one piece and without having soaked through my t-shirt (I failed), I had no real plans or idea of what to do (or where to go) when I got there.

However, like a light bulb turning on (insert whatever cartoon resonates with you where a lightbulb flashes on over a character’s head when they get an idea) I knew I found what I was looking for after passing by a small outdoor food stall with cafeteria style foldable tables and three silver-haired Thai men hovering over bowls of fresh squid.

Enter ‘Khao Tom Pla Plaeng Nam’ – a fresh seafood Teochew-style congee spot near Yaowarat in Bangkok’s bustling Chinatown. This place is a congee institution. And I found out why.

All Day Mookrata, Everyday Mookrata: A Korean BBQ & Chinese Hotpot Love Story

August 3, 2023August 5, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

I can’t believe that I had lived 32 years of my life never having heard of mookrata (also known as ‘mu kratha’). I love Korean BBQ. I love Chinese hotpot. I love Japanese motsunabe. Mix them all together and you have an unrivaled Frankenstein’s monster of flavor (and fun) that the villagers aren’t chasing out of the village with pitchforks.

Instead, they’re cozying up to this gastronomic monster, giving it the love that Victor never did.

So, you can bet I was in for a huge surprise after being recommended a popular mookrata haunt not far from the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok – Everyday Moo Krata & Cafe. “Like a virgin, grilling for the very first time.” Plus, I went with one of my best roll-dawgs which is how mookrata should be enjoyed.

Sushi Misaki-Nobu: an Omakase Experience For the Books

July 28, 2023May 21, 2024Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

I would have never guessed that Bangkok just happened to be home to some of the best Japanese restaurants in the world. I guess that one is on me considering it is a frontrunner in the Mr. and/or Mrs. Universe competition for best gastronomic cities in the world. Cue Sushi Misaki-Nobu, a powerhouse Japanese omakase restaurant (and Michelin Guide recommendation) located in the Saladaeng area serving up Edomae-sushi – raw fish, cooked rice, and seasoned red vinegar (as opposed to traditional rice vinegar).

Northeast – a Bustling Bangkok Haunt Serving Up a Killer Crab Curry

July 28, 2023May 14, 2024Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

Located across the street from the south center of Lumpini Park (and a 3-minute walk from the Silom MRT), where monitor lizards roam freely and cats sleep in the middle of the road with zero cares in the world, sits ‘Northeast’, a no-nonsense, bustling, Thai restaurant serving up familiar (and unfamiliar) ‘Northern-style’ dishes including – a killer soft-shell crab curry.

As I’ve mentioned in several other posts, Bangkok makes a more than formidable bid as the gastronomic capital of Asia (at least in my books), and ‘Northeast’ is the staccato on the end note of this culinary symphony.

Let’s take a look at what makes this popular haunt for locals and tourists alike a must-go when you are in Bangkok and the feast that single-handedly forced me into bed by 8 PM.

Review: Solitaire Hotel on Sukhumvit 11, Bangkok – a Luxurious Urban Retreat to Unwind in Style

June 3, 2023June 19, 2024Asia, Thailand, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

During my self-imposed Hong Kong moratorium I decided to spend one month-plus in Bangkok, Thailand. And, the stay would not have been complete if I didn’t stay at one of my favorite hotels in all of Asia – the Solitaire Bangkok Hotel on Sukhumvit 11. This 4-star hotel, located a stone’s throw away from the nightlife and action of one of Bangkok’s most notorious nightlife districts, is always my go-to stay in Bangkok.

I spent the entire month posted up in this gem of a hotel, working, battling strep throat, and recovering after extensive ‘eating days’ in one of the best cities for food in the world. Here’s an honest review of what I loved and liked (there isn’t much I really took issue with).

The Chicken or the Egg? A Hidden Crispy Fried Noodle Gem in Bangkok

May 21, 2023May 21, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

Tucked away in a quiet back street of the Pom Prap Sattru Phai district of Bangkok (the district with the highest population density and home to the ‘Golden Mount’), Kuay Tiew Kua Kai Keng Jae Ngim – now that’s a mouthful – is a no-fuss, fried noodle shop serving up a textural mammoth of flavor. This restaurant was also recommended to me by my Bangkok eating guru (another big thank you once again) and didn’t disappoint.

I was a bit of a hot mess when I stumbled into Kuay Tiew Kua Kai Keng Jae Ngim. I had already walked about 15 miles for the day (just under 25 km), was in a slight rush to catch a Thai kickboxing match at Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium, and was making a case for being the sweatiest man in Bangkok. It calmed me down. Settled my mind, stomach, and heart.

Wattana Panich: Tucking Into a 50-Year-Old Bowl of Beef Noodle Soup in Bangkok

March 31, 2023March 31, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

I am declaring this now for all to hear…errr…read. From this day forward, I am only consuming beef broth that has been aged more than 50 years. Fleetwood Mac and I are both never going back again to day-old beef broth. We demand 50 years. Wattana Panich Beef Broth, located on Ekkamai Road in Bangkok, is to thank or curse for that.

Passed down for three generations, Wattana Panich has set the bar for what beef broth and beef noodle soup restaurants should aspire to be – simple, unapologetic, and filled to the brim with savory, herbaceous, salty flavor. This article definitely will not do it justice and will be one of the few where I attempt to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Custard Nakamura Bangkok: Katsu Sandos, Custard Buns, & Baked Goods Galore

March 30, 2023March 30, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

Situated off the bustling Sukhumvit Road (on Soi Sukhumvit 33/1) and easily missed next to due to its positioning next to one of the ubiquitous 7-11s of Asia, Custard Nakamura is a quaint, quirky Japanese bakery serving up a smorgasbord of sweet, savory, and traditional Japanese pastry (and sandwich) classics.

I was recommended Custard Nakamura by my Thailand eating guru (shoutout to her), who texted me a comprehensive list of must-go spots in Bangkok (feel free to message me if you’d like a list of the places). After having one of the worst starts to a morning I can remember in a while, I knew I needed some TLC – tender-loving custard.

Fran’s Brunch & Greens: a Bangkok Brunch on Steroids

March 19, 2023March 19, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

I think I may have found my absolute favorite brunch spot in all of Asia – Fran’s Brunch and Greens. Located a stone’s throw away from Lumphini Park (a spot that has become a daily staple for my walks) in the Northeast corner of Sathon, Fran’s is a brunch powerhouse serving up elevated takes on breakfast classics, creative and fresh Acai and fruit bowls, and open-faced sandwiches that will make your momma blush.

In my ten-plus years in Asia, I am declaring Bangkok as the “top dog” gastronomically for affordable, high-quality, Western and local cuisine. In this past month that I’ve given myself in Bangkok, the city has kicked through the doors of my “Cuisine Constitution” and torn down the walls of what I thought I knew about food in Asia.

Fran’s is the icing on the cake, the dot at the bottom of an exclamation point, the final stab by the orchestra to cap off the night (or start the day). Here’s why…