i think it's a bit of a stereotype that got blown up by expat forums and youtube vids. isan women are a big part of the dating scene here because a lot of them move to bangkok for work, especially in service industry jobs, so you just meet them more often. but honestly walk down sukhumvit soi 4 or any thonglor bar and you'll see plenty of girls from the south or central thailand too. it's more about the individual person than where they grew up

arrow_drop_up 24 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

i think it's mostly a stereotype from the bar/nightlife scene. a lot of isan women work in those places because they came to bangkok for jobs, not because they're some kind of preference. hang out in ari or ekkamai and you'll meet plenty of thai girls from all over

arrow_drop_up 14 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

lol the whole isan thing is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy tbh. if you hang out in the tourist zones or on certain expat forums that's all you'll hear about but bkk is massive. i know a guy who's been married to a girl from phuket for 8 years and another whose girlfriend is from chiang rai. the stereotype mostly lives on in soi cowboy and nana plaza where the hiring patterns are what they are

arrow_drop_up 2 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