for a normal tourist visa, agencies are a waste of money tbh. the official site works fine and costs like 40 usd vs agencies charging 100+ for the same thing. but if ur doing a visa run to a border or dealing with the immigration at muang thong thani, an agency can save u a whole day of sitting in line. just check google reviews first, there's a lot of sketchy ones near sukhumvit that'll overcharge u for forms u could fill out in 10 minutes

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imo it's worth it if you're doing something time-sensitive like a same day extension before your visa expires. the normal process at chaeng wattana can take a whole morning even with the queue app, and if u show up at like 3pm they'll just turn u away. agencies around ploenchit bts can get u in and out in under an hour for like 1500 baht. but for anything where u have a week or more of buffer, just do it yourself and save the cash for street food instead

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I'll just add that if you're American, British, or Australian, the visa application process is actually different for each embassy's jurisdiction. The Bangkok embassy handles a specific region and if you apply through an agency that uses a different consulate, your passport might get sent to somewhere like Penang or Savannakhet. That adds a week to processing time. I've seen people panic because their passport didn't come back when expected.

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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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