Why are old men video chatting with some half-naked relative at max volume in every coffee shop and holding the video image up next to their ear?

lol you nailed it, that's such a specific Bangkok thing. I think it's partly that a lot of older Thai guys aren't used to headphones and just treat the phone speaker like a walkie-talkie. Also, the volume thing might be hearing loss from years of working construction or riding motorbikes without earplugs, so they genuinely don't realize how loud it is. If you want a quieter spot, try Ink and Lion near Ari BTS, they actually enforce a no-phone-talk policy inside.

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it's not just you, it's a whole cultural thing with the speakerphone. older thai guys grew up with the speaker as the default, like how we used landlines. the holding it up to the ear thing is because the earpiece speaker is too quiet for them, so they tilt it to get the sound right. if you need a break, try hands and heart cafe near thong lo, they keep it chill and the baristas will politely ask people to lower their volume

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honestly its prob a mix of old habits and stubbornness. my thai FIL does the same thing, thinks headphones are some kind of alien tech. try going to a place like Somsak Club or Rocket Coffeebar, younger crowd so less of that vibe.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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