Thai Drinks

So you are familiar with typical Thai food such as noodles, green curry and rice dishes, but what about drinks? Non alcoholic Thai drinks are refreshing and often sweet. The following provides some examples of what the locals typically drink throughout the day, with meals and in the evening to relax.

Cold beverages

Iced Tea. The Thai name for this is 'Cha Yen' and the tea is made with red or black tea leaves. The leaves are boiled in water and then the mixture is sieved, leaving the leaves behind. To balance the flavours, making it more refreshing to drink, additional ingredients are added such as tamarind, orange flavoured blossom water, star anise, and sugar. Some Thais also like to add a food colourant to the tea to make it yellow or red. Ice is then added.

Lime Iced Tea. This is similar to the basic ice tea, however, fresh lime and often mint is also added.

Iced coffee can be found everywhere, from local street vendors to upmarket coffee shops. The coffee is usually very strong and is mixed with cow's milk, or more typically soy milk. Again, the drink is served with lashings of ice; however, it is now becoming common for the drink to have an extra western twist such as iced cappuccino.

It may surprise you to know that Thailand also has their own brands of energy drinks, including their own take on Red Bull. Similar to energy drinks found in Western parts of the world, energy drinks can be found in most convenience stores, for that extra boost of energy when you need it the most.

First thing in the morning, nothing can be more refreshing than a glass of fruit juice. Of course, given the difference in climate in Thailand, you’d be lucky to find orange or apple juice on the shelves. Instead you might find fruit juices like lychee, mango, coconut, or even Aloe Vera lining the supermarkets.

Alcoholic Drinks

The three alcoholic drinks that are most readily available in bars throughout Thailand are the following: Sang Som, which is a Thai spirit that tastes like a mild whiskey. It is ruby in colour and is usually drunk with cola or lemonade. Thais however, will usually drink it with ice and no mixer.

Chang Beer can be found in literally all bars and has an alcohol content of 5%.

Singha Beer is a popular beer with an alcohol content of 6% and is pale in colour.

Mekhong whiskey is a local Thai whiskey. Mekhong whiskey is made from rice and has a lower alcohol content than most Western brands of whiskey. Although this drink is given the stamp of a Thai whiskey, its alcohol content and distinct taste make it more similar to rum than most Western whiskeys. 

Be sure to follow the links throughout this blog to see the range of Thai drinks available through Thai Food Online.