Are beauty salons typically open during holidays?

Not a stupid question at all, the holiday schedule here can be confusing. Most places in the tourist-heavy zones like Thong Lo or along Ratchadamri Road will be open on NYE but with a shorter window, think 10 AM to 4 PM instead of the usual late hours. For New Year's Day, your best bet is hitting up a salon inside a major hotel like the ones at the Mandarin Oriental or the Siam, they keep regular holiday hours for guests and usually accept outside appointments too. Expect to pay a 20 to 30 percent surcharge on both days though, that's standard for holiday service.

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You'll find a mixed bag on New Year's Eve. Many salons in popular areas like Sukhumvit or Siam Square stay open until early evening since it's a big shopping day, but they'll close earlier than usual, maybe around 5 or 6 PM. New Year's Day is trickier, most smaller independent places shut down completely, but the larger chains in malls like CentralWorld or Emporium often operate on reduced hours, usually opening around 11 AM to 6 PM. I'd recommend booking ahead specifically for NYE and confirming they're open on the 1st, as walk-ins will be tough.

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tbh you're overthinking it, just call the salon directly before you go. thai places usually have phone numbers on google maps and theyre pretty good about answering

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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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