Thailand Food Allergy
Travel Safety Hub
Thailand has some of the best food in the world and three structural allergens that run through all of it. This hub is the starting point for every guide you need, organized by what you will be doing and when you will need it.
First step for every Thailand trip with a food allergy: build your Thai-language card before you board.
Build My Thailand Allergy CardUnderstanding Thai food allergens
Thailand's allergen challenge is structural, not incidental. Nam pla (fish sauce) is used in the same role as salt in Western cooking: as the foundational seasoning applied to virtually every savory dish before it leaves the kitchen. Kapi (shrimp paste) is the flavor base of most curry pastes and many dipping sauces. Peanuts appear across pad thai, satay, larb, and most Thai salads as garnish or base.
This means the allergy conversation at a Thai restaurant is not about whether a dish contains a specific ingredient as an optional addition. It is about whether the kitchen can fundamentally restructure how a dish is seasoned. Some can, with notice. Many cannot, particularly at street food level. A written Thai-language card communicating this in the kitchen's language is the tool that makes the difference.
Thailand risk at a glance
- Fish/shellfish allergy: Very high risk. Nam pla is in almost everything. Kapi in all curries.
- Peanut allergy: High risk. Garnish on multiple dishes. Cross-contamination at street food stalls.
- Tree nut allergy: Lower risk. Cashews appear in some stir-fry dishes. Coconut in curries.
- Gluten/wheat: Moderate. Soy sauce contains wheat. Some marinades and oyster sauce.
- Dairy: Low risk. Thai cooking rarely uses dairy. Coconut milk is the cream alternative.
Food safety guides
The complete breakdown of every dish category: which contain fish sauce, shrimp paste, peanuts, and derivatives. Read this before your first restaurant meal.
Peanut allergyWhere peanuts hide beyond the obvious dishes. What to order, what to avoid, how to communicate in Thai.
Street foodHow to participate in Thai street food culture with allergies. Communication scripts and dish-level risk breakdown.
Curated food tour options that accommodate dietary restrictions and allergen needs in Bangkok.
Spas, wellness retreats, and health-focused experiences in Thailand for allergy-aware travelers.
Hospitals, clinics, and emergency contacts for allergic reactions in Bangkok and across Thailand.
Your Thai-language allergy card
A Thai-language allergy card is the single most effective tool for Thailand. It specifies your allergens and derivative ingredients in Thai script, formatted for restaurant use. It communicates severity and specific derivatives that verbal requests miss entirely. The research is consistent on this: written cards in the local language change kitchen behavior more reliably than any other communication method.
Build yours free at AllergyPass in Thai and English. Print one copy for your wallet, save a digital version on your phone, and show it at every restaurant before you order.
Bangkok: the destination hub
Bangkok is where most Thailand allergy travelers spend the most time and where the most complete safety infrastructure exists. The Bangkok hub covers everything specific to the city.