Drinking in Thailand Guide

Chai yen is one of the most popular drinks in Thailand. It’s bright orange color often scares off foreigners, but do not let its strange appearance deter you from enjoying this delicious beverage. This tea is a combination of way too much-condensed milk and evaporated milk.

Pomegranates are also beneficial to your health, as they are a good source of vitamin C and are filled with both fiber and antioxidants. Many of Thailand’s drinks are full of sugar, so it is nice to enjoy a drink that actually does your body good instead of the opposite.

If you have a sweet tooth then you cannot leave Thailand without having a bottle of sugarcane juice. Usually, the actual sugarcane lies lifeless next to a vendor, having just gone through the powerful machines that make this drink. This drink is incredibly sweet, and it is difficult to ingest quickly because of its powerful flavor.

All of Thailand loves grass jelly. There are grass jelly desserts where chao kuai (black jelly) is mixed with both ice and water before being sprinkled with brown sugar. Jelly cubes are sliced and put into plastic cups before adding your choice of drink, which sometimes includes different teas, juices and more. You will often see cups partly filled with jelly grass, giving you the option of filling it up with whatever it is you desire.

You will find coconut water already made, put into a large cylinder or container and then scooped out into a cup for you to enjoy. Thick, juicy slices of coconut are shaved out of it’s hard covering and mixed in with water.

Redbull originated in Thailand; the local stuff sold in small, glass bottles is rumored to be stronger and more effective than the Redbull sold from cans in the West. Thai Redbull does contain a different formula, has more caffeine content, and has a sweeter taste. Unlike Redbull sold in Western countries, Thai Redbull isn’t carbonated. Without the carbonation, those compact, glass bottles of Redbull are incredibly easy to down in one gulp—but be mindful about how much you consume!

Pretty much every place in Asia has a cheap, local whiskey made from fermenting rice...and Thailand’s is infamous. Popular with villagers and anyone else who appreciates a cheap drink, lao khao is made from fermented sticky rice. Potency varies depending on whoever made it. Commercially bottled varieties are available, but many villages concoct their own brews. Locals often enjoy watching a farang (foreigner) struggle to handle a shot of lao khao!

Pouring a drink for someone else is a nice gesture; top off the glasses of people around you if you fill your own. Chances are, if someone at the table doesn’t get to it, the bar or restaurant staff will continue to top off your drink each time it drops below halfway—don’t drain your glass unless you want a refill! If you find yourself the guest of honor, you’ll probably be expected to sit at the middle of the table rather than at the head. The guest of honor is also usually expected to give a toast at some point. Toasts are often given throughout a drinking session, not just at the start. When clinking glasses with someone, take age and status into consideration. If someone is your senior or of higher status, hold your glass slightly lower and clink low on theirs.