From Scorpions On A Stick To Grilled Crocodile - Welcome to Unusual Foods

Weird Thai Foods: A Bug Buffet and Beyond

If you think Thailand is all about pad Thai and mango sticky rice, buckle up, tourist. Thailand also serves fried grasshoppers, grilled rats, and scorpions on sticks, usually next to a 7-Eleven. It’s the only country where you can get an iced latte, deep-fried crickets, and a Hello Kitty phone case within 30 seconds. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of Thai eats.

Fried Insects: The Crunchy Crowd Favorite

Ah yes, the infamous bug buffet. A rite of passage for backpackers trying to impress their Instagram followers. These fried critters (grasshoppers, crickets, silk worms, beetles, and yes, scorpions) are flash-fried with soy sauce and MSG until they crunch like overly confident popcorn.

They’re sold by street vendors with suspiciously wide smiles. Why? Because they know you're going to gag, take a photo, and then buy bottled water in a panic. But here's the twist: locals actually eat them as snacks (especially but not limited to the northeast). Protein-packed, cheap, and arguably better than airplane peanuts.

Grilled Rat: Not What You Think

Relax, it’s not the sewer kind. These are field rats: free-range, grain-fed, countryside rats living their best life in rice paddies. Then they get marinated in herbs, grilled to perfection, and sold at markets or road stalls (mostly upcountry) with all the casualness of chicken satay. The meat? Surprisingly tender. Tastes like chicken, but with a stronger backstory.

Crocodile: Jurassic Grilled Goodness

Ever looked at a crocodile and thought, “I bet that tail would go great with dipping sauce”? Well, someone did, and now it’s a thing. Grilled croc is popping up more often at Thai street food markets, especially the touristy ones. It’s usually skewered and grilled like giant gator satay, and it tastes like chewy chicken with reptilian confidence.

Ant Egg Soup (Gaeng Kai Mod Daeng)

If your soup doesn’t stare back at you or explode with tiny egg sacs in your mouth, is it even Thai cuisine? This Isaan delicacy uses red ant eggs (and sometimes actual ants for that citrusy zing) cooked in an herby broth. It’s tangy, earthy, and slightly unnerving, kind of like tom yum if it came from the insect kingdom.

Raw Blood Soup (Larb Luead)

Let’s go full vampire. This dish includes minced meat, herbs, spices, and a generous splash of fresh animal blood. It’s a northern Thai delicacy, sometimes served raw. Delicious to some, terrifying to many. A Michelin-starred nightmare or a protein-rich dream? You decide.

Century Egg (Kai Yiew Ma)

This black, jelly-like egg has been fermented in ash, clay, and other things your body would usually avoid. It looks like it should be illegal, smells like a dare, but surprisingly tastes mild. Commonly served with rice porridge (because that makes it feel less like a prank).

Durian: King of Fruit, Lord of Smells

Not technically “weird” by Thai standards, but this spiky menace deserves a mention. Durian smells like onions left in a gym sock but somehow it’s revered as the King of Fruit. Tastes like sweet custard mixed with garlic and judgment. Banned in most hotels and trains. Eaten with reverence (and caution).

In Summary

Thailand’s weird foods are more than shock value. They’re rooted in tradition, resourcefulness, and a fearless approach to flavor. Whether you're munching on crickets, dipping grilled rat in chili sauce, or crying into your durian sticky rice, just remember: in Thailand, food is never boring. And it might crawl a little before you cook it.

So go ahead and try something wild. Just keep your water bottle close and your gag reflex closer.