Floods in Thailand: When to Return to Malaysia Before My Flight to Europe?

honestly 5 days is plenty, just fly out of bkk not the islands. the flood risk in bangkok itself is mostly the outskirts near the river, and suvarnabhumi airport sits on higher ground in the east, so it rarely gets hit. even in bad years, the city core and airport stay dry, it's more like the old town and riverside areas that see street water.

the real issue is if you're coming from phuket or the south, those trains and buses get messy fast when it pours. so the smart move is to get yourself up to bangkok a few days early, stay somewhere near the airport like lat krabang, and just chill. that way you're not stressing about a missed connection on the 5th.

if you really wanna be extra safe, go back to malaysia 3 or 4 days before the flight instead of 5, but honestly the bigger risk is your domestic leg from phuket to bkk, not the bangkok to kl part. airasia and nok air cancel more often in heavy rain, so book an early morning flight and you'll be fine.

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The floods you see are mostly in the south, Phuket and Krabi get hit hard, but Bangkok itself is usually fine, the airport is on the east side and doesn't flood like the old city. I'd say 5 days is more than enough, just don't plan any last minute trips to the islands before you leave.

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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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