Toyota Corolla's Secret?

honestly for r-134a in bangkok just head to any of the shops on charoen krung road near the talad noi area, there's like three or four places that specialize in old car ac stuff. they usually have both the gas and the adapters for older fittings, just bring the car or at least a photo of the port so they don't give u the wrong one. also check the shop called "chaiya auto parts" on pracha rat bamphen soi 5, they're known for keeping weird refrigerant blends in stock

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ngl the "iron horse" nickname is pretty accurate, my uncle's had his 98 corolla running for like 20 years now with barely any issues. for the r-134a thing, skip the big chain stores and hit up the little shops on rama 2 road near the ban khun thian market, there's a guy there who keeps old stock for like 80s and 90s cars. he'll prob charge u around 200 baht for a can and can show u how to fill it yourself if the mechanic is giving u the runaround about needing some special adapter

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fwiw the r-134a thing isnt that weird here, a lot of the older shops just keep r-12 stocked instead cause that was the standard back then. if u cant find it at the usual spots try the tiny shops on soi petchaburi 15, there's one crammed between two gold shops that'll hook u up with the right cans for like 150 baht. just make sure they don't try to sell u that "eco" refrigerant garbage, it ruins the compressor seals on these old corollas

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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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