Already convinced long-standing of vegetarianism when I moved to Thailand a few years ago, I wondered before arriving how I was going to meet my dietary requirements in the land of smiles.
I must say straight away that I was quickly reassured. I would like to share my experience with those who are interested, who are said to be more and more numerous.
Menu
A vegetarian in Bangkok
Unaware of the habits and customs and unable to speak a single word of Thai on my arrival, I found myself, like everyone else, in the famous Khao San street in the Banglamphu district during my first days in the capital.
The entrance gate and almost obligatory passage for all new travellers arriving at BangkokThis mythical district is above all intended to welcome foreigners from all over the world.
So I had no trouble finding something to eat in this most cosmopolitan of places, where almost every culture in the world is represented.
Every shop, restaurant or inn has a menu with vegetarian dishes to satisfy their valuable and diverse clientele.
I also found this offer in all the tourist places I visited throughout the country.
Vegetarian food in Chiang Mai
A Chiang MaiIn the north of the country, a whole district where hotels and cheap guest houses are concentrated seems to have specialised in this ethical choice of food.
In this area, almost every restaurant proudly displays "Vegetarian food and offer no alternative.
I even remember one notable exception, a restaurant that had written in giant letters on its front, presumably to stand out and attract the unwilling:
"Here, NOT vegetarian food. That's an understatement...
Phuket and its vegetarian festival
But it was when we arrived in the south of the country, in Phuket - where I had committed myself to work voluntarily at the gibbon rehabilitation project in which I worked for three years (see : Refuse to have your picture taken with a baby gibbon in your arms) - that I had my real encounter with the Thai vegetarian culture.
In Phuket, more so than elsewhere, the vegetarian tradition is very much a part of everyday life.
The island is indeed famous for its incredible and impressive vegetarian festival which has been raging nine days a year for more than 180 years and is worth the trip alone. Sensitive souls are advised not to go!
The different types of vegetarianism in Thailand
At this point, a little semantics and vocabulary is in order. The word "mangsawirat (มังสวิรัติ), which is not widely used by the Thai people themselves, means the vegetarianism in the broad sense as understood in the West.
It is mainly used to satisfy foreign customers who are on a diet lacto-vegetarian ovum (*).
This is the kind of food that can be found everywhere in the tourist areas already mentioned.
The term "Djè (เจ) is much stricter and more widespread, as it is found in almost all of the country.
It refers to an exclusively vegan (**) which is only served in restaurants (ran.a/han djè - ร้านอาหารเจ) - often very cheap - exclusively devoted to the cause which is more religious than anything else, as we shall see later.
These very special restaurants are mostly located near Chinese Taoist temples. They are rarely mentioned in English and hardly ever appear in tourist guides.
I would therefore strongly advise vegans (***) who wish to travel to Thailand to learn to recognise this word before leaving.
It looks like a large 17 almost always written in red on a yellow background.
It also acts as a label and can be found on all food packaging that meets the criteria of Thai-style vegetarianism.
You can also find it in Asian grocery shops throughout the major Western cities.
Although usually translated by the term "vegetarianthe term "djè means much more than that.
Translations "vegan or "vegan would not be able to meet this either.
In fact, "djè" implies not only a strictly vegan diet but also a formal ban on all consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, food additives - including the famous and controversial glutamate monosodium (MSG, pong shu rot in Thai) - as well as sex for non-reproductive purposes...
It also bans, for reasons that have, I confess, always escaped me, garlic and onions!
Another notable difference I would like to mention between the vegan as we understand it in the West, and food "djè The main issue in Thailand is their respective purpose.
While in the case of the former, the motivation is mainly ecological or political, or even anti-secular, the Thai people who indulge in this mode of consumption do so mainly for religious reasons.
Eating vegetarian (kin djè) is above all to acquire merit (tham boon) in order, as far as possible, to be forgiven of sins (tham bhaap), thus covering the healthy hope of living a better life in the infinite cycle of reincarnation and reaching the ultimate goal of the completion of the cycle: nirvana.
If the vegan acts for reasons that could be described as earthly, Thai vegetarian (khon djè) is driven by purely celestial justification.
Despite this notable difference, and despite sticking, as far as I am concerned, only to my vegan convictions in their miscreant eyes, I must say that I have always been very warmly welcomed in these restaurants which I have frequented daily for several years where the food is not only the cheapest and most delicious I have ever eaten but also, it seems, blessed by the gods...
พูดดี ทำดี คิดดี กินเจ (phout dii, tham dii, khit dii, kin djé - speak well, do well, think well, eat vegetarian): their favourite slogan that sums it all up.
Quite a program...
Jean-Sébastien Henry
(*) Ovo lacto-vegetarianism refers to a diet based on the consumption of plants, eggs, milk and honey and their derivatives. This diet is commonly referred to as "vegetarianism".
(**) Veganism refers to an exclusively plant-based diet. This diet forbids the consumption of milk and eggs as well as any other food of animal origin.
(***) Veganism (also known as total veganism) refers to a lifestyle that bans all products of animal origin, both for food and for any other form of consumption (clothing, furniture, cosmetics, etc.). Vegans do not wear leather, wool or silk and do not use, for example, any products previously tested on animals.
You can find the best vegetarian restaurants in Bangkok on the forum, shared by Quentin.
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