Sivalai Secrets?

yeah that shrine is way older than sivalai. the land used to be part of a much larger plot owned by a local family, they had a small teak house and that shrine was their family spirit house. when they sold it for development they made them keep it as a condition. staff told me they still get flowers left there sometimes by the old owners

arrow_drop_up 25 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly that shrine's got a bit of a reputation among the old timers around here. i've heard it's dedicated to a local nang kwak spirit that was supposed to protect the orchard, not just the family. some of the construction workers back when they built sivalai refused to work near it at night, said they'd hear rustling in the trees even when there was no wind. the hotel management plays it down but they keep the incense lit every day, which says a lot.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

fwiw that shrine is actually one of the few surviving pieces of the old suan phlu community that used to be here. the whole area was orchards and canals before they filled em in for the condos. there's a tiny museum about it at wat yannawa, like a 10 minute walk down charoen krung, they've got old photos showing exactly where that shrine sat before anything else was around. worth checking out if you're still curious

arrow_drop_up 3 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

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.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

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.

arrow_drop_up 4 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

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

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply