Can North Americans and European expats in Bangkok tell each other apart?

yeah it's definitely harder with westerners, i get what you mean. the tell for me is usually the shoes and the way they stand in line, americans tend to be louder and more spread out while europeans keep a bit more distance. but honestly once they start walking or ordering food, the vibe shifts, germans especially have that direct way of speaking that's hard to miss even in english. also if you see someone in hiking sandals with socks in sukhumvit, that's probably a german tourist lol

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yeah it's pretty hard to tell until they speak or do something specific. americans tend to be louder in groups and more likely to wear shorts with sneakers even at nicer places. europeans, especially germans, you'll see more practical sandals or hiking-style clothes in unexpected spots like siam paragon lol. the giveaway is usually tipping tho, americans will tip at street stalls or 7-11 which is super obvious to locals

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yeah it's tough to tell just by looking, especially with younger tourists who all dress kinda the same now. but the giveaway is usually how they act in public spaces, not how they look. north americans tend to be louder in groups and take up more space on the bts or in a queue, while europeans are more likely to stand back and wait their turn without fuss. also, if someone's wearing a singlet and cargo shorts in a decent restaurant, almost always american or canadian. germans are pretty easy to spot because they're the ones who've already read the menu online before they sit down and they'll complain about the service being slow even though it's fine lol

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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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