Thai food is an international treasure and pleasure to enjoy while spending time in the land of smiles. Due to being influenced by various cultures over the past 1,400 years such as Indian, Chinese, and European, it’s also become some of hottest, spiciest, along with sweetest and saltiest, as also some of the most umami tasting cuisine you will ever have the pleasure to taste and experience. Here is a list of just some of the best meals that you may experience during your hopefully short time waiting for your plane in Phuket International Airport. The Airport offers various international food experiences that take you on a tasteful and international culinary journey, but by far, the most flavorful dishes you will come across are most certainly the Som Tum, ส้มตำ (Green Papaya Salad), Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้ง (Spicy Shrimp Soup), and K̄ĥāw mạn kị̀ h̄ịh̄lả, ข้าวมันไก่ไหหลำ (Hainanese Chicken Rice) which is not exactly an authentic Thai dish, but will undoubtedly knock your sandals off. Thai cuisine is regarded as one of the most flavorful in the world, sought after most specifically for its flavor combinations, cooking traditions and practices, and our team of expert foodies have found the best foods.
Best Thai Dishes Available At Phuket International Airport at a Glance Highlights from our list include the following options:
- Best overall: Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้ง (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
- For value for money: K̄ĥāw mạn kị̀ h̄ịh̄lả, ข้าวมันไก่ไหหลำ (Hainanese Chicken Rice)
- For vegetarians: Som Tum, ส้มตำ (Green Papaya Salad)
Now that we’ve included the top performers, let’s dig in!
Table of Contents
- Best Thai Foods in Phuket International Airport at a Glance
- Som Tum, ส้มตำ (Green Papaya Salad)
- Tom Yum Goong ต้มยำกุ้ง (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
- K̄ĥāw mạn kị̀ h̄ịh̄lả ข้าวมันไก่ไหหลำ (Hainanese Chicken Rice)
- Alternatives to These Top Meals in Phuket International Airport
- Why You Should Trust This List
RELATED: Head to the best washrooms in Phuket International Airport to wash up before your dinner, these are G.’s favorites.
1. ส้มตำ, Som Tum, (Green Papaya Salad)
- Pros: It doesn’t get much better than sweet and spicy Green Papaya Salad, but we’d come back for the authenticity, which is second to none and feels like Phuket in a meal. This Thai dish is also conveniently created in less than 5 minutes, so you can enjoy it right away.
- Cons: The salad may sometimes be served hot, warm, cool or too spicy for certain individuals, and not particularly everyone’s favorite all the time, as it holds a fruity taste that is not for everyone. This dish is also very light and may not be as fulfilling of a meal that you were hoping for.
2. ต้มยำกุ้ง, Tom Yum Goong, (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
- Pros: Tom Yum Goong is a Thai specialty. They use fresh local shrimp and vegetables.
- Cons: Can be too spicy for some, so be sure to kindly inform the chef “Mị̀ p̄hĕd khrạb” which translates to: “Not spicy please” ( if you think it will be too spicy for you.
3. ข้าวมันไก่ไหหลำ, K̄ĥāw mạn kị̀ h̄ịh̄lả, (Hainanese Chicken Rice)
- Pros: Truly a simple and affordable delight that you will probably never get tired of. The boiled Chicken served with Jasmine Rice and Chicken Broth Soup is surely going to satisfy anyone. And if, for some reason you believe that you need more flavor, the additional sauces served along with it will create a most memorable experience.
- Cons: Can be a bit too simple for some. If so, be sure to try adding some chili peppers or black pepper or just try out many of the other tasty options to satisfy your taste buds.
Alternatives to These Thai Dishes That Can Be Found In Phuket International Airport
- Pad Thai: Pad Thai is the national food of Thailand and famous all over the world. It’s a stir-fried rice noodle dish, and it’s served as street food outside the airport as well as a main dish in restaurants. It can include chicken, shrimps, or tofu. It comes with rice noodles that are stir-fried with eggs and the choice of protein. Often served with bean sprouts, garlic chives, turnips, chopped roasted peanuts, red chili pepper and lime on the side. It’s delicious.
- Pak Boong: Pak boong is one of the healthy Thai dishes that is made by stir-frying morning glory, also known as water spinach. Although simple and quick to prepare, it’s a favorite among many locals. The morning glory is typically stir-fried in oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce, chilies, garlic, and fermented soybean paste.
- Mango Sticky Rice: Mango Sticky rice has a special place in many Thai people’s hearts, and it’s one of their most beloved desserts.
Why You Should Trust This List
When creating this list of the best Thai Dishes that can be enjoyed while spending a lot of time in Phuket International Airport, G. man had to do the hard work to narrow a list to just a few options. He made the majority of it by imagining what it would be like to eat most of these foods that he only ever got to smell from afar. This list considers a variety of price points and some of the most mild dishes in regards to spice (let’s not forget Thai cuisine is known to be some of the most spicy in the world) while introducing a few simpler options into the mix. Overall, this list contains unforgettable meals. No one’s going to argue with that.
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Contributor GARETT MARTYN
Garett Martyn is a Phuket International Airport-based freelance writer with a background in writing, martial arts education and entrepreneurship. He writes articles on luxuries, architecture, food, travel coverage and more. He completed a course or two and in various disciplines at various schools internationally and has worked with BRAINZ Magazine, Entrepreneurs Herald, and attempts at various business ventures such as Holistic Human Project, Holistiworld Inc., Holistikrü, Holistiskool, Holistic Express, and G-Bear Enterprises Inc. to name a few.