The Bangkok MICHELIN Guide 2018 Cements the City's Place as a Culinary Giant

The Bangkok MICHELIN guide 2018 launched this year, making it the first time the guide has recognized restaurants in the Thai capital. The guide covers fine dining establishments, but also the city's world-famous street-food scene (despite the governments war on these attractions). Anonymous diners, who are highly trained by the organization, scoured the City of Smiles, in coordination with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, to find the city's very best and awarded them one to three stars.

"The launching of the French-based MICHELIN guide will lure more international tourists," says TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn in an interview with Bangkok Post.

Thailand is the seventh Asian country/territory to be rated in the revered guide but received the least amount of stars in comparison (earning only 17 in total). Despite this, the guide places Thailand in a category of culinary giants like New York, Paris, and Shanghai.

Here are some surprises from the guide: 

A 72-year-old street-food vendor, Jay Fai, known as the “crab omelet queen” is one recipient of a star. Often seen wearing ski goggles and smoking a pipe from her small shop, Fai says that she wishes she could give back her star after tourists have inundated her shop and have forced her to create a makeshift reservation system (taking away from her traditional grab-and-go casual culture). 

No restaurant earned the coveted three stars. Coming close was an Indian restaurant Gaggan, owned by Gaggan Anand who is not unfamiliar with shiny accolades. He’s been ranked as having one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants. Guests should try the 25 tasting-course menu.

Yde-Andersen (who you all may recognize from our article "Norway’s Culinary Darkhorse,” can celebrate his place in the book. The guide to Bangkok awarded his restaurant Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok a Michelin star one of only 20 stars given to the city.