Bangkok's Hidden Lanes

The trick is that most of those sois loop back to Charoen Rat if you just keep walking straight. They look identical because the shophouses all have similar facades, but if you glance up at the power lines you'll start noticing which ones have the tangle of cables that look like a giant birds nest. That's the one that leads to the pier near Wat Kanlayanamit. Also, next time grab a cold cha yen from the lady with the cart near Soi 7, it's 20 baht and she doesn't water it down like the tourist spots.

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fwiw you can also just follow the sound of the clanking woks, the pad see ew places all have that distinctive metal on metal sound that carries through the sois. if you hear it getting louder you're heading towards charoen rat, if it fades you're going deeper into the residential stuff. also the soi with the white temple gate on the left, that one has a shortcut to the river that cuts through a little community garden, just watch out for the grumpy old man who sits there feeding the cats, he'll glare at you but he wont say anything

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tbh the best way to learn those sois is to just get lost on purpose a few times. i used to live near there and every time i took a wrong turn i'd find some old lady selling grilled pork skewers for 10 baht or a random temple garden nobody talks about. the soi with the big yellow wall and the faded buddha mural on it, that one connects to a little market that opens around 4pm, real cheap fruit and those crispy roti with condensed milk. also if you hit the soi that smells like fish sauce and has the guy fixing motorbikes out front, you're close to the pier, just follow the sound of the longtail boats

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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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