Did covid kill off the tiny peaceful family run cafes with cheap Thai food and peaceful vibes?

nah they're still around, just harder to find cause a lot moved to soi side streets or up a floor to keep rent low. try around banthat thong road, there's a few spots tucked between the bigger places that survived. prices went up maybe 10-15 baht but still under 100 for a decent pad kra pao and iced coffee. the vibe's quieter than before, less tourists, more locals reading or on their phones

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Those places didn't disappear, but they did thin out. The real shift was that many of the solo-run shops couldn't keep up with rent hikes when the owners got older and retired during covid. What you're looking for now is more common in residential areas like around Ari or the small sois off Ekkamai, where you'll still find a granny running a one-woman operation with a gas burner and a few plastic tables. The ones that survived in central Bangkok often rebranded as "hidden gem" spots on social media, which changed the vibe a bit. If you want that old feeling, wander down Soi 22 in Sukhumvit and look for the shops without an English menu.

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they're def still around, just gotta look a bit harder. try the tiny sois off silom near the temple, there's a few spots with no sign in english and like 4 tables, granny cooking. also the old town area around charoen krung has some hidden ones in shophouses that survived by being too small and cheap for anyone to notice.

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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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