Came to Bangkok after Covid from Australia and it seems the food prices are on par with those in Sydney in restaurants. Why the increase?

tbh the exchange rate is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. AUD was like 33 baht back then, now it's around 23-24. so even if a pad thai stayed 100 baht, that's $4.30 aud instead of $3. same meal at a place like baan somtum in sukhumvit is still 120 baht for locals, but it hits ur wallet harder. plus a lot of delivery apps like grab take 30-35% from restaurants now, so they jacked up menu prices to cover it. try hitting up a proper thai canteen like rung rueang in silom, pork noodle soup is still like 60 baht and tastes better than half the overpriced spots anyway

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honestly i think it's also just the whole premium tourist tax thing now. a lot of places in sukhumvit and silom straight up have two menus, one for locals and one for farangs. if u walk 5 mins off the main road into a soi where only thais eat, you'll still find a solid chicken rice for 50 baht. spots like khao gaeng jek pui in banglamphu or the boat noodles near victory monument are still dirt cheap, just gotta avoid the instagram-friendly spots

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Yeah inflation and supply chain issues hit hard here after Covid. Plus tourism's back with a vengeance so restaurants don't feel the need to keep prices low anymore.

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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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