Do people understand what masks are for?

honestly you see this all the time in Bangkok. people think the mask is for themselves not for others. your coworker prob thinks he's protecting himself from dust or something, which is common here especially during burning season when the air gets bad. but yeah pulling it down to cough defeats the whole purpose, it's like wiping your hands then putting the dirty towel back

theres also a cultural thing where some thais wear masks just because they feel self-conscious or have a cold and don't want to look sick. but the logic on how germs actually spread is pretty weak. i've seen people on the bts with masks below their nose talking loudly right into someone's face. drives me nuts too but good luck changing minds

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ngl this is super common here. i think part of it is that masks got marketed as personal protection during covid so people internalized that even if the science says otherwise. your coworker prob thinks he's being considerate by having it on between coughs, like he's containing it somehow. i see the same thing at my local 7-11 all the time, people pulling masks down to sneeze into the air then yanking it back up. the logic just isn't there.

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yeah it's not just ignorance, it's a mix of habits and social signaling. a lot of people here wear masks because it's what you do, like wearing shoes outside. the actual mechanics of transmission just don't get taught, so you get stuff like your coworker treating it as a magical forcefield. i've seen people on the skytrain adjust their mask to sneeze into their hand, then put it back on. defeats the whole point.

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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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