What are the most convenient apps to have on your phone when in Bangkok?

ngl if you're staying for more than a week get the BTS Rabbit card app, saves you from queuing at every station and you can top up from your phone. grab is fine for taxis but for the skytrain the rabbit app is way smoother

for dating thai friendly and tinder are both active here but thai friendly has way more locals who actually speak english. just be ready for the obvious scams

one nobody mentions is mango zero for international calls if you need to call home, it's dirt cheap and works on the local networks. also get true money wallet if you plan on using promptpay at any 7-11 or market stall, it's basically their venmo

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You've got the basics covered. For food delivery, add Line Man to the list - it's owned by the same company as the chat app and often has better deals on smaller orders than Food Panda, plus they deliver from 7-Eleven which is handy for late night cravings.

For rides, inDriver is worth having as a backup since it lets you negotiate the fare rather than accepting the fixed price, useful when surge pricing hits hard on Grab. Grab's still the most reliable though, especially for booking taxis by meter.

Communication-wise, Line is essential here. It's not just for chatting - most businesses use it for customer service, restaurants use it for reservations, and you'll need it for booking appointments at places like hair salons or clinics. WhatsApp works too but you'll find locals vastly prefer Line.

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oh and for maps definitely use waze over google maps here, the local drivers all use it so it's way better for traffic and shortcut routes. also get shopee or lazada if you plan on ordering anything online, they're like amazon but way more popular here for everything from phone cases to groceries

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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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