Thailand Guide

Som Tum in Pai ส้มตำ

Som tum is green papaya pounded with lime, fish sauce, palm sugar, and chili while you wait. The mortar on Pai Walking Street is the place for that salad nightly.

Pai40 to 80 THBsom tam thai Thai food hub
Som Tum in Pai

Photo: Takeaway (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Thaiส้มตำไทย · som tam thai
Price40 to 80 THB
RoomWalking Street mortar
ClockNightly

What it tastes like

  • Lime, fish sauce, palm sugar, and chili with green papaya and tomato. Fermented fish is a separate request.

How to order it

  • Thai name: som tam thai (ส้มตำไทย).
  • Say: Khor som tam thai, mai sai pla ra, khrap/kha.
  • Say mai sai pla ra unless you want fermented fish. Pair it with larb.

Typical price

  • 2026 cash: 40 to 80 THB.

Where to try it

  • Pai Walking Street som tum stall, Chai Songkhram Rd, Pai, Mae Hong Son. Nightly. 40 to 80 THB. Skip this, go here: skip a cafe som tum at lunch prices; the street mortar is the 40 to 80 THB plate.

Spice level and diet

  • Heat: Hot by default.
  • Diet: Fish sauce and often dried shrimp.

Next plates

  • Back to the Pai food hub for the neighbourhood rows.
  • Use the Pai page if you want the walk, not a second dish.
  • Larb Moo is the nearby order if this plate is done.
  • Sai Ua is the nearby order if this plate is done.
  • Khao Pad is the nearby order if this plate is done.

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Common questions

How hot?
Thai hot unless you say pet nit noi before the pounding starts.
Daytime version?
The street is an evening trade. Use a town cafe in the daytime.