News Forum - Top 10 ways to avoid food poisoning in Thailand, and tips on how to recover

[Thaiger]

NOTICE: The Thaiger are experienced travellers but we’re not doctors. This information is provided as a general guide if you are confronted with food poisoning. In all cases consider seeking medical attention and make sure you have adequate travel insurance. Travelling in foreign locations and trying out the local dishes will always risk a bout of the dreaded food poisoning – Bali belly, Thailand tummy. Thailand has some of the world’s tastiest food but also the potential to put you flat on your back for a few days. Travelling around Thailand you face a double whammy of exotic new spices […]

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[stevenkongju]

"The best way to avoid food poisoning, or its lesser partner, traveller’s diarrhea, is not to get it in the first place."

 

Great writing! The best way to not get it (that's the same as 'avoid it') is to not get it.

[Vince]

Recovery advice is nicely done.

The street food advice could be more detailed. 

 

[Marble-eye]

I have had Delhi Belly, Bahrain gut and the the last case was the Thailand trots, spent 3 days in a hospital on a drip through it.

[HolyCowCm]

No matter what most people will have a day or two of the squirts as their body gets used to it. Even for me when visit the USA the tables turn the other way for me and get the squeeks. Most sensible thing said in the article is look at the food before you buy it. If been sitting you should be able to spot some abnormality for how it is looking.

[LoongFred]

If your having problems, it's probably best to avoid hot spicy food and let your gut adjust. Add spiciness gradually and you should be OK. I like very spicy food but had trouble at first.

Look for restaurants that prepare food in full view. 

Some Issan food might look cooked but isn't especially chopped fish dishes. Be aware that you could get parasites, like liver flukes. 

Food is generally safe and I eat almost everything, but use common sense. 

[ThaiEyes]

Yeah I luckily haven’t gotten any parasites (the small kind haha) since I’ve been here for 6 years, but I’ve had a few bouts of food sickness, poisoning/infection which lasted 1-3 days. Most of that was in the first year when I got here. Now not so much. 
Here are some funny names for traveler’s diarrhea, feel free to add to the list:

Green apple two-step    Back door trots

Gringo gallop     Montezuma’s Revenge  

Mud butt     Bum runs

[Saltire]

Gastro-wise for me after 5 years here, Thailand has been a walk in the park compared to my previous 5 years in Cambodia.

In Cambodia the norm was pretty much weekly or daily diarrhea. I put it down to the water and hygiene.

Here I've never been sick from eating anything even priior to Covid when we'd be on a trip somewhere and eat out every day. The last 2 years with all the closures etc, i've pretty much cooked everything I eat.

The wife is better off too having been educated on the raw parastic ingredients of some of the more ethnic Thai dishes.

At the odd restaurant we get asked how many chillies do we want in our ordered dish; Me = 2, wife = 20! I don't know the Thai for 'wimp', but I'm sure it's what I get callled.

 

 

 

[Jason]

Some good advice here...and yes, I too have had a couple of bouts of the dreaded lurgie. I call it talking to God on the great white telephone

[Noble_Design]

55 minutes ago, Jason said:

Some good advice here...and yes, I too have had a couple of bouts of the dreaded lurgie. I call it talking to God on the great white telephone

Well on the bright side, it's like getting an enema or colon cleansing.