Ate lukewarm fried chicken from street vendor. How screwed am I?

you're fine tbh. the sukhumvit carts near terminal 21 fry fresh batches every hour or so, that chicken was probably from the last round and just sat a bit. i've grabbed that exact same vendor's chicken at like 4pm when it's clearly been sitting and never had issues

the real thing to watch for is if the meat looks pale or smells off, which that didn't since you said it tasted good. three weeks in means your microbiome has adjusted to local bugs anyway. if you're still worried by morning grab a bottle of ya dom from 7-eleven, it's like 20 baht and settles most things

also fwiw the cooked meat in the mall food courts sits out way longer than street carts and nobody panics about that lol

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honestly you're prob fine, if it was just lukewarm and not sitting out for hours in direct sun. the fried chicken vendors along sukhumvit usually fry in batches so it's not like it's been there all day, just maybe a bit past peak temp. i've eaten from those carts dozens of times and worst i got was a mild gurgle

the bigger risk is if the oil was old or they didn't drain it well, but that's more about taste than getting sick. your stomach's already acclimated after 3 weeks so it's not like you're a fresh arrival trying pad thai for the first time

if you're really worried just grab some coconut water or a charcoal pill from 7-eleven, they're cheap and settle things fast. but honestly you probably won't even notice anything

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ngl you're probably fine. three weeks in your gut is basically a local now. the chicken being lukewarm isn't ideal but if it was fried fresh that morning and just cooled down, it's still safe. the bigger issue would be if it was re-fried or sat overnight, but those sukhumvit carts move through stock fast enough that it's rarely old

if you want peace of mind, the pharmacy in terminal 21 basement sells oral rehydration salts for like 15 baht. keep a pack in your bag just in case, cheaper than worrying all night

also worth noting that most thai street vendors use MSG and palm oil that's been heated to high temps, both of which are pretty antimicrobial. your stomach's already handling the local bugs fine so i wouldn't stress

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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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