Is tap water hard or soft in Bangkok / Thailand ?

The itch could be from the water treatment process more than hardness. Bangkok adds chloramine to the tap water, which is a different chemical than chlorine and some people find it more irritating on their skin. You might try a vitamin C shower filter, those neutralize chloramine specifically and you can find them at HomePro for around 800 baht. If you're in a condo, check if the building has its own storage tank on the roof, those can collect sediment and bacteria that also cause skin reactions.

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another thing to check is your condo or house water tank if you're not in a house with direct supply. bangkok buildings often have rooftop tanks that don't get cleaned often enough, and the sediment buildup can make the water harsher on skin regardless of hardness. you could ask the juristic office when the last cleaning was, or just pick up a inline sediment filter at homepro for like 200 baht to catch the gunk before it hits your shower. also a lot of people here find the water less irritating after letting it run for a minute first, flushes out whatever settled in the pipes overnight

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honestly the tap water here is pretty hard, lots of dissolved minerals from the limestone aquifers they pump from. but if you're getting itchy it could be the chlorine more than the hardness, the water treatment plants here dose it pretty heavy. try boiling a pot of water and letting it cool before you shower, see if that helps. if it does, you're prob sensitive to chlorine not minerals

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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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