Three cities.
Where to eat.

Yaowarat is a street-food district with restaurants and individual stalls, rather than a single market with one entrance. Start at the Chinatown Gate and follow Yaowarat Road, looking along the side streets as well as the main road. TAT's Chinatown guide highlights rolled-noodle soup, yen ta fo and grilled seafood as things to look for.

For a first order, choose a bowl of kuay jab rolled noodles or yen ta fo, the noodle soup with a distinctive pink-red broth. Seafood is a different kind of purchase: ask whether it is priced per dish, piece or weight and establish the total before ordering. Finish with a dessert stop if you still want one. Individual vendors set their own opening days, so a trip to the neighbourhood is more flexible than a plan built around one unconfirmed stall.

The Sunday Walking Street begins around Tha Phae Gate and follows Ratchadamnoen Road into the old city toward Wat Phra Singh. Choose it when you want food mixed with crafts and shopping. Use Tha Phae Gate as your starting point, then work along the street rather than arranging several separate taxi stops.

Look for northern food names: sai ua is northern sausage; khao soi is a curry-noodle dish. Khai pam, an egg preparation cooked in a banana-leaf container, is another regional option highlighted in TAT's market guide. What is available depends on the stalls that evening. Start with a small serving, then decide whether you want a bowl of noodles or another snack; several small purchases can become a full meal quickly.

Phuket's Sunday walking street occupies Thalang Road in Old Town. TAT lists it from 16:00 to 22:00 on Sundays. Arrive in the late afternoon if you want to see the streets and shophouses before eating; keep dinner flexible enough to follow the stalls you find.

Hokkien noodles are a useful Phuket dish to recognise, and the surrounding Old Town has places for a seated meal if you prefer one to grazing. For a separate dessert stop, Thailand's government tourism guide names Torry's Ice Cream for interpretations of local sweets. Treat that as an optional Old Town stop and check its own hours; the walking-street schedule does not set restaurant opening times.

At a counter of prepared dishes, ask for rice and point to the dishes you want with it. Establish whether the quoted price covers one topping or several. At a made-to-order stall, select a dish and the main ingredient, then ask about extras such as an egg. A specialist stall may sell only one family of dishes, such as chicken rice or noodles; its short menu is useful information about what to order.

Ask for the total before handing over money, especially for seafood sold by weight or a mixed bag of snacks. Keep small notes available and check the accepted payment method at the stall. If you need to avoid an ingredient, ask specifically about the sauce, stock and garnish as well as the obvious meat or vegetables. A photograph cannot establish what went into the dish.

In Bangkok, Pier 21 at Terminal 21 Asok is a useful alternative when you want several food choices in one place. Its official stall directory includes chicken rice, noodles, pad Thai and vegetarian food. Check the current counter-payment system before joining a food queue; Thai shopping-centre food courts may use a stored-value card or coupons.

For a group, agree the seating plan before buying food from several counters. If a particular meal is a success, save the stall name, dish and location together. A photo of the sign or menu is more useful for finding it again than a close-up of the plate alone.