Thai Food Allergies: What's Actually in 20 Common Dishes

 Thai food is difficult if you have allergies, for one specific reason.

Fish sauce and shrimp paste go into almost everything. Neither is visible, neither appears on the menu, and dishes labelled vegetarian frequently contain both.

Learn these five hidden ingredients first.

āļ™้āļģāļ›āļĨāļē  nam pla    — fish sauce (fish)
āļāļ°āļ›ิ    kapi       — shrimp paste (crustacean)
āļ™้āļģāļĄัāļ™āļŦāļ­āļĒ nam man hoi — oyster sauce (mollusc)
āļ–ั่āļ§āļĨิāļŠāļ‡ thua lisong — peanuts
āļœāļ‡āļŠูāļĢāļŠ  pong chu rot — MSG


The 20 dishes

DishContains
Pad ThaiPeanuts, shrimp, egg, fish sauce, dried shrimp
Tom Yum GoongShrimp, fish sauce, shrimp paste
Som TamPeanuts, dried shrimp, fish sauce, fermented crab
Green CurryShrimp paste, fish sauce, coconut
Massaman CurryHeavy peanuts, shrimp paste, coconut
Pad Kra PaoOyster sauce, fish sauce, soy
Khao Man GaiSoy (fermented bean sauce)
Khao Kha MooSoy sauce (wheat), egg
SatayThe sauce is peanut
Poo Pad Pong KareeCrab, egg, milk or evaporated milk
Pad See EwWheat (soy sauce), egg, oyster sauce
Rad NaWheat, oyster sauce, soy
Khao SoiWheat noodles, coconut, shrimp paste
Yum Woon SenShrimp, squid, fish sauce
LarbFish sauce, fermented fish
Por Pia TodWheat, egg
Khao PadEgg, fish sauce, oyster sauce
Tod Man GoongShrimp, wheat, egg
Mango Sticky RiceCoconut, sometimes sesame or mung bean
Som Tam Poo Pla RaRaw fermented crab — hygiene risk as well

The three worst offenders

Satay. The sauce is entirely peanut. If you have a peanut allergy, avoid the stall completely — the same grill and utensils are used for everything on it.

Massaman curry. Peanuts are ground into the paste. You cannot see them.

Som Tam. It looks like a vegetable salad. It contains dried shrimp and peanuts as standard. "It's just papaya" is the assumption that puts people in hospital.

Vegetarian is not safe

āļĄัāļ‡āļŠāļ§ิāļĢัāļ•ิ (mangsawirat) means vegetarian in Thailand — but fish sauce usually stays in.

For genuinely animal-free food, ask for:

āđ€āļˆ  (jay)

Restaurants displaying the red-on-yellow āđ€āļˆ sign exclude animal products entirely. That's the reliable marker.


Gluten

Soy sauce in Thailand generally contains wheat. That rules out Pad See Ew, Rad Na, and anything stir-fried with dark sauce. Khao Soi uses wheat noodles.

Rice noodle dishes are safer, but sauces still need checking.

If your allergy is severe

Carry your epinephrine auto-injector and an English prescription letter — Thai customs may ask.

Bangkok's major private hospitals handle emergencies well. Save the nearest one to your accommodation before you need it.

Skip street stalls. Shared woks and ladles make cross-contamination near certain.


In short

  • Fish sauce and shrimp paste are in nearly everything
  • Satay and Massaman guarantee peanuts
  • Som Tam looks vegetarian and isn't
  • Look for the āđ€āļˆ sign for genuinely animal-free food
  • Carry your auto-injector and a prescription letter

General guidance on typical preparation, not medical advice. Recipes vary by kitchen — always confirm before ordering.

Screenshot the Thai allergy phrases before you eat out. For restaurants worth planning a meal around see the Michelin guide, and for street stalls the night market guide.

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