5 Thai drinks you must try when in Thailand

Thailand is a land of scrumptious food where you can enjoy all kind of delectable dishes and menus, from the street food to the royal-like high Thai cuisine. This is no exception with the list of exotic drinks that you can find here in Thailand.

The never-ending drink menus will exhaust you just to think about what to order. So here is a comprehensive list of the five exotic drinks you must try when in Thailand.

1. Cha Yen (Thai iced tea)

Cha Yen – Thai Iced Tea. Credit: muay-tea

Believed to be the most delicious and popular Thai drinks of all, Cha Yen or Thai iced tea is an orange, milky, and tasty traditional tea that often proves to win over many tourists’ hearts. Its friendly flavor of milk and sweetness complement so well with the charming aroma that it creates a perfect drink for everyone.

Cha Yen is brewed with tea leaves and then mix with condensed milk to add its milky and sweet flavor. You can choose to enjoy it cold or hot: either way it is delicious.

Thai iced tea is easy to find and the price is very affordable if you order it from the motorcycle food cart (15 THB to 20 THB). In a restaurant, the price will go a bit higher, depending on the place.

2. Oliang (Thai iced coffee)

Oliang – Thai Iced Coffee. Credit: barkao

Oliang or Thai iced coffee is another traditional drink of Thailand. It is similar to Americano but not exactly the same. Oliang is a mix of coffee and other ingredients, which depends on the recipe but can be roasted rice and caramel then roasted with coffee beans. This results in a unique flavor with a taste similar to Americano.

Cafe Boran with Patongo. Credit Bloggang

People normally enjoy Oliang cold. After brewing in a coffee sock (tea/coffee filter) you get a hot black coffee in which the brewer will add sugar and ice.

For those who love milky drinks, adding milk to Oliang turns it into Cafe Boran, which translates to ancient coffee.

Thais love to have hot Cafe Boran as a breakfast with porridge and Patongo. You can find this Thai coffee at street shops or motorcycle food carts. The price of this drink starts from 15 THB to 30 THB. If you order it from a fancy cafe close to tourist places the price can go as high as 60 THB per cup.

3. Nom Yen (iced milk with syrup)

Thais can be very creative when it comes to food and drinks. While other people will just drink a cup of hot milk, Thais add colorful syrup, making a new kind of fancy delicious milky drinks called Nom yen.

Nom Yen – Iced Milk with Syrup. Credit: bungkan

Nom yen is popular among kids and Thai teenagers and those who do not consume any kind of caffeine drinks.  Nom Yen is made of fresh hot milk mixed with green or red syrup, then mixed with ice.

Locals normally enjoy Nom Yen with a set of steamed bread and a Kaya dipping (coconut jam). You can find this iced milk with syrup at the street drink shops. The price ranges from 15 THB to 25 THB alone or from 30 to 60 at a cafe with some bakery.

4. Thai beer

Chang and Singha Beer

Two Thai beers’ brands that gained recognition worldwide like Singha and Chang are the must-try alcoholic beverages due to their taste and prices. Alcoholic drinks in Thailand are famous for their affordable price and the easy accessibility.

You can purchase these beers at any convenience stores, from 11.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 24.00 hrs.

5. Thai whiskey

Sangsom Thai Whiskey. Credit: bangkoknightlife

The two most famous brands in the Thai whiskey’s industry are Mekhong and Sangsom. They are famous due to its cheap price, making them best friends for low-cost partygoers and backpackers.

These Thai whiskeys are made from 95% sugarcane and molasses and 5% of rice which is more like rum, but they are still called whiskey anyway.

The infamous bucket drinks, often found in full moon party, are made from these Thai whiskeys mixed with who-know-what beverages, so you should be careful when taking one.

How many have you tried?