How to not spend so much in Bangkok?

street food is your best friend here, skip the sit-down restaurants entirely unless it's a special occasion. the soi 38 night market near thong lo bts has massive portions for like 40-60 baht and the papaya salad there is legit. for beer, find a 7-11 and grab a bottle of chang for 50 baht then hang out at lumphini park with everyone else after 5pm, way cheaper than any bar.

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Eating at the food courts inside office buildings will save you a ton. The ones at CentralWorld and Siam Paragon are tourist prices, but go to the basement of Silom Complex or the food court at the Stock Exchange of Thailand on Ratchadaphisek and you can get a full meal for 40-50 baht. For fruit, skip the stands near BTS exits and walk a block or two into a soi, the price drops by half.

For drinks, avoid Khao San and Thong Lo entirely. Go to the bars along Soi Rambuttri near Banglamphu, or hit up a rooftop like the one at the Novotel on Siam Square which has cheap happy hour beers. Street food in Chinatown around Yaowarat is great for dinner, but for lunch the stalls at the Wang Lang market across the river are cheaper and less crowded. Use the MRT instead of the BTS when you can, it's a few baht cheaper per ride and you avoid the worst traffic.

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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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