Thailand Guide

Thai spice levels

Thai heat comes from the bird's eye chili, prik kee nu, pounded into the paste rather than sprinkled on top. That is why the level has to be set before the wok starts: "mai pet" for not spicy, "pet nit noi" for a little.

Mai petSom tumMassaman Thai food hub
Thai spice levels

Photo: lazy fri13th (CC BY 2.0)

NoneMai pet
A littlePet nit noi
Mild platesMassaman, khao man gai, omelette
Hot by defaultSom tum, gaeng som, nam prik num

Prik kee nu, the bird's eye chili, is the hot one. Prik chee fa is milder and used more like a vegetable. "Mai pet" means not spicy. "Pet nit noi" means a little. Say it before they cook. Adding sugar or beer later does not fix a pounded salad.

Massaman and khao man gai are the mild plates. Green curry and som tum are not. Southern gaeng som and nam prik num are hotter still. A market curry plate is often 40 to 80 THB either way. Phrases for the table are on the etiquette page. The curry map is on Thai curries.

Safe first orders

  • Massaman or chicken rice if you want flavour without a dare.
  • Pet nit noi on green curry or a basil wok. You still get chili. You skip the top end.
  • Do not point at som tum and hope. That dish is built on heat.

Book

Southeast Asia TravelGuide Network

Compare Across Southeast Asia: Thai Food vs. Vietnamese Food

Eating your way across Southeast Asia? Pair Thailand’s wok-fired street stalls and regional curries with Vietnam’s herb-bright broths, banh mi, and specialty coffee.

Sister Culinary Guide

Vietnamese Food Guide & Dish Directory

Regional dish breakdowns, street-stall addresses, and ordering rules for pho, bun cha, banh mi, cao lau, and egg coffee.

Explore Vietnamese Food Guide →Northern Broths & Coffee

Hanoi Street Food Guide

Charcoal-grilled bun cha, beef pho at dawn, crispy crab spring rolls, and Old Quarter café culture.

Read Hanoi Food Guide →Southern Markets & Seafood

Ho Chi Minh City & Da Nang Food Guides

Late-night shellfish alleys, broken rice plates (com tam), crispy banh xeo crepes, and Central Vietnamese noodle bowls.

Read Saigon Food Guide →

Common questions

Will mai pet taste bland?
You still get fish sauce, lime, and garlic. You lose the burn, not the dish.
Which region is hotter?
The south and Isan run hotter than a Bangkok chicken-rice shop.