Drinks and ice

Drinks and ice

ชาไทยเย็นหนึ่งแก้วครับ/ค่ะ
[ chaa thai yen nueng kaew khrap/kha ]

One iced Thai tea

กาแฟเย็นครับ/ค่ะ
[ ka-fae yen khrap/kha ]

Iced coffee

ลาเต้ร้อนครับ/ค่ะ
[ la-te ron khrap/kha ]

Hot latte

น้ำแตงโมปั่นครับ/ค่ะ
[ nam taeng-mo pan khrap/kha ]

Watermelon smoothie

น้ำมะพร้าวปั่นครับ/ค่ะ
[ nam ma-phrao pan khrap/kha ]

Coconut smoothie

หวานปกติครับ/ค่ะ
[ waan pok-ka-ti khrap/kha ]

Normal sweet (Thai style)

หวานน้อยครับ/ค่ะ
[ waan noi khrap/kha ]

Less sweet, please

ไม่หวานเลยครับ/ค่ะ
[ mai waan loei khrap/kha ]

No sugar at all

ใส่น้ำแข็งนิดหน่อยครับ/ค่ะ
[ sai nam-khaeng nit-noi khrap/kha ]

A little bit of ice

ไม่ใส่น้ำแข็งครับ/ค่ะ
[ mai sai nam-khaeng khrap/kha ]

No ice, please

ใส่นมสดหรือนมข้นครับ/ค่ะ
[ sai nom sot rue nom khon khrap/kha ]

Fresh milk or condensed milk?

ใส่แก้วกลับบ้านครับ/ค่ะ
[ sai kaew klap baan khrap/kha ]

In a takeaway cup

ขอหลอดหน่อยครับ/ค่ะ
[ kho lot noi khrap/kha ]

Can I have a straw?

น้ำเปล่าหนึ่งขวดครับ/ค่ะ
[ nam plao nueng khuat khrap/kha ]

One bottle of water

ขอน้ำแข็งเปล่าสองแก้วครับ/ค่ะ
[ kho nam-khaeng plao song kaew khrap/kha ]

Two glasses of plain ice, please

Cultural notes

To combat the unrelenting tropical heat, Thais have perfected the art of the iced beverage, and you will find street carts selling drinks on almost every corner. However, ordering a coffee or tea in Thailand comes with a massive cultural shock for Westerners: the astronomical amount of sugar and ice used. The national favorite is Thai iced tea, or ชาไทย (cha thai), a brightly colored orange tea brewed with spices and heavily sweetened. Similarly, if you simply order a 'coffee'—กาแฟเย็น (ka-fae yen)—do not expect a standard black espresso over ice. You will receive a potent brew mixed with a heavy pour of thick, sweet condensed milk (นมข้น - nom khon) and evaporated milk. To a Western palate, these standard recipes can taste overwhelmingly like liquid syrup. Therefore, learning how to command the sweetness level is the most critical skill at a Thai drink stall. If you want your drink with a normal amount of sugar (which is extremely sweet), you say หวานปกติ (wan pokkati). To request less sugar, you must explicitly ask for หวานน้อย (wan noi - "little sweet"). If you want no sugar at all, you must say ไม่หวานเลย (mai wan loei - "not sweet at all"). Another surprise is the ice. Thais fill the cup to the absolute brim with crushed ice before pouring the hot liquid over it to chill it instantly. If you ask for ไม่ใส่น้ำแข็ง (mai sai nam-khaeng - "no ice"), do not be surprised if your cup is only half full, as the drink recipes are formulated to be diluted by the melting ice. Mastering "wan noi" will save you from a massive sugar rush and allow you to enjoy Thailand's refreshing street drink culture exactly to your liking.