How to avoid peanuts and a painful death?

[halibut99]

I'm planning my cherry Pattaya trip, but I'm concerned because I have a raging peanut allergy. I probably won't really die if I eat them, but I'll certainly wish I was dead for about eight hours... :(

 

I'm generally safe with Chinese and Japanese food, but I think it is the Thai's, Vietnamese, or both that like to put peanuts in their food.

 

How common is non-obvious peanut usage in Thai cooking? How about with street vendor food?

 

Is there a way I can reliably ask whether a dish has peanuts? What is the Thai word for peanut? Are there common peanut dishes that I should know the names of so I can avoid them?

Edited September 13, 2009 by halibut99

[El Cata]

Hi.

 

If I was you, I'd strongly rethink your travel plans.

 

I personally have never heard of peanuts being used in Thai dishes (although kashews are favoured in many Chinese dishes.)

 

Peanut oil is used extensively throughout the world as a cheap lubricant for machinery used in the food production industry, as I am sure you are aware!

 

Quality control in Thailand is not, I suspect, equivalent to western standards.

 

The only (unqualified) advice I can give you is this:

 

1. Do not eat anything from the street carts.

2. Do not eat any fast food (KFC, BK etc.)

3. Only eat from 'high end' falang orientated restaurants. Even then...

 

Anyway, I do not feel comfortable giving you any more advice. Consult your doctor. Or check out these guys, they have a forum.

 

http://www.peanutallergyuk.co.uk/

 

Peace.

Edited September 13, 2009 by El Cata

[Jaco2]

I'm planning my cherry Pattaya trip, but I'm concerned because I have a raging peanut allergy. I probably won't really die if I eat them, but I'll certainly wish I was dead for about eight hours... :(

 

I'm generally safe with Chinese and Japanese food, but I think it is the Thai's, Vietnamese, or both that like to put peanuts in their food.

 

How common is non-obvious peanut usage in Thai cooking? How about with street vendor food?

 

Is there a way I can reliably ask whether a dish has peanuts? What is the Thai word for peanut? Are there common peanut dishes that I should know the names of so I can avoid them?

 

I have the same problem. As you probably, know peanut oils and traces can be found in everything from toothpaste to indigestion remedies so you have to be careful, but you don't have to be paranoid!! I've had three trouble-free trips to Thailand but this means that for me, I've had to become less adventurous with food to cut the risks.

 

As with anything, you need to take good precautions like:

 

- always carry your Epipen(s) with you and make sure you have spares. Order them well in advance from your GP. Carry a GPs letter just in case customs/immigration get curious.

 

- carry a few anti histamines with you (they'll also help if you get caught short).

 

- I very rarely eat at street vendors. My advice is to eat in a decent restaurant where the staff can speak English well enough to understand your problem and you can get nut-free food. I usually had a Thai speaker with me so was usually OK. I also carried a note in English and Thai in my wallet explaining the problem should anything happen and I'm unfortunate to eat any peanuts unknowingly. Get to know some of the local cuisine so you know what to order and what should be nut-free. If in doubt about what's in the food (and in Thailand this is not just an issue about nuts!!), eat at the hotel and eat English/US food where available.

 

The only place I had an issue was in Kuala Lumpur where peanut oil was used in the gravy of a dish I ate AND I left my Epipen at the hotel!!! After returning to the hotel I called the hotel doc, who sent me to local hospital where I was for three hours but was right as rain after - well enough to call a local chick for a session later that evening!!! Just came up like a bad asthma attack.

 

In short, be careful not paranoid and enjoy your trip!! Make sure to do a TR !!!

Edited September 13, 2009 by Jaco2