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Thailand's lively city, Bangkok, is an adventure at night and a sensory feast during the day. Apart from scrumptious food sold on streets, colourful views and crowded roads include a splendid variety of cold and refreshing beverages for tourists and the locals. Thai street drink is a unique drink that uses different flavours and aromas and has an attractive appearance in the glass, which can easily transform any normal occasion into an exciting one. Thai street drink uses different flavours and aromas and has a has a beautiful eye that catches every drink that goes into the glass. Although there are limitless choices for Bangkok tours, there are a few drinks that are definitely must-haves. Each drop is a homage to the country of Thailand and its colourful heritage of beverage products ranging from Nom Yen with its beautiful pink colour to Thai coffee with its natural scent.
Nom Yen
Iced pink milk, or nom yen, is a fanciful and delicious dessert that looks as good as it tastes. Made from the fruit of the sala tree, sala syrup gives this colourful drink its characteristic pink colour. It is combined with chilled milk and served over ice. The end product is a creamy sweet paste, which is perfect for a hot day in Bangkok. The versatility of the drink as well as the way it looks on social media, particularly Instagram, is what makes people like it. Other vendors add a twist and mix the drink with boba pearls or chewy jellies, and thus, it also becomes part of sight.
Image Credit: Flickr
Ovaltine Phu Khao Fhai
A popular chocolate malt beverage called Ovaltine is given an attractive makeover in Bangkok's streets as Ovaltine Volcano, also known as Phu Khao Fhai. The creative thinking of Thai street vendors is shown by this novel beverage. To make the drink, fill a tall glass with ice and Ovaltine, and then pile a mountain of volcano-shaped whipped cream on top. The "eruption" happens when the drinker covers the cream with hot ovaltine, simulating the flow of lava. The combination of the hot and cold ingredients results in a thick, foamy beverage that is a delightful treat as well as a visual show.
Oliang
Oliang is probably one of the favourites that you should try when visiting Thailand due to its unique iced coffee offering. In order to create a rich flavour profile, roasted ingredients, including corn, soybeans, and sesame seeds, are combined with coffee to make this strong beverage. After soaking in hot water, the drink is served over ice and is frequently sweetened with sugar syrup or condensed milk. Having originated in China, the drink was passed down amongst Thai-Chinese families who relocated to Bangkok. Grains and seeds added to the ingredient are the reasons why the drink has a nutty flavour, which helps in softening the strong flavour of coffee. Traditional Thai coffee filters are frequently used by street vendors to produce Oliang; the preparation process is just as big a part of the experience as the beverage itself.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Yok Lor
Another Oliang variant with an interesting history is Yok Lor. The primary distinction between the two is that, unlike Oliang, Yok Lor is usually served with a lot more milk. Actually named for the kind of canned evaporated milk that was first used to prepare the coffee, "Yok Lor" (flying wheel) gets its name from this. With a liberal pour of sweetened condensed milk, the strong flavours of Oliang are softened in this creamy beverage. Therefore, the beverage is tasty and energising as it covers strong coffee notes with rich velvety texture at the same time.
An Chann Manaw
Thai ingredients come together to create a visually gorgeous and pleasant drink called An Chann Manaw. This drink is prepared using the butterfly pea flower; the flowers are used to obtain a striking blue colour. The drink changes magically from blue to purple when lime juice is added because of the reaction between the citrus acid and the pigments in the flower. An Chann Manaw is more than just a beverage—its ability to change colour makes it an engaging experience. The butterfly pea tea and lime juice are frequently served by vendors separately so that consumers can combine them and see the transformation take place in front of their eyes.
Nam Daeng
Red soda, or Nam Daeng, is a traditional Thai street beverage that is easy to make and very filling. Sala syrup and soda contain this colourful drink. This leads to a sugar-syrup, fizzy drink that is rather enjoyable in Bangkok’s hot climate. This innovation of having Nam Daeng be red gives it an added advantage in that it stands out among other drinks normally found in the street. Even though the base recipe is simple, many vendors customise Nam Daeng by adding other fruits or herbs. Popular variants include adding basil seeds for texture and/or lime for a tart edge.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
So, you will get a taste of Bangkok’s diverse food culture by tasting these six extraordinary drinks and the fun it brings with each drink.
