Allergy in Thai: How to Say “I’m Allergic to Peanuts” in Thailand

The Thai word for being allergic is แพ้ (phae), said with a falling tone. “I’m allergic to peanuts” is ผมแพ้ถั่วลิสง (phom phae thua li-song) if you are a man, or ฉันแพ้ถั่วลิสง (chan phae thua li-song) if you are a woman. End polite sentences with ครับ (khrap) if you are a man and ค่ะ (kha) if you are a woman.

Be careful with the word ถั่ว (thua). On its own it means beans and nuts in general, from peanuts to soybeans to mung beans. Say ถั่วลิสง (thua li-song) for peanuts and name cashews separately, because cashews are everywhere in Thai cooking.

Phrases for stalls and restaurants

Mai sai (don’t put in) is the phrase every Thai cook hears all day, usually about chilli or sugar. It removes a garnish. On its own it does not mean the wok, the mortar or the oil was clean, which is why phae mak (very allergic) needs to come first.

Food words

Dishes to know

• Always peanuts: pad thai (crushed on top and sometimes in the sauce), som tam (papaya salad, pounded in the same mortar all day), massaman curry, satay dipping sauce, and many yam salads.
• Often cashews: kai phat met ma-muang (chicken with cashews), and stir-fries on tourist menus.
• Shellfish and fish you cannot see: fish sauce goes into almost every savoury dish; shrimp paste is in most curry pastes and in nam phrik dips; dried shrimp is pounded into som tam and sprinkled on pad thai. Oyster sauce is in many stir-fries.
• Shared tools: street stalls use one wok and one mortar for every order. If the vendor can’t clean them, choose a dish that is boiled or grilled to order instead.

If you need help

The medical emergency number in Thailand is 1669. The Tourist Police, on 1155, have English-speaking staff.

Common questions

How do you say “peanut allergy” in Thai?

แพ้ถั่วลิสง (phae thua li-song). Don’t shorten it to phae thua, which could mean any bean, including soy.

How do you say “nut allergy” in Thai?

แพ้ถั่วเปลือกแข็ง (phae thua plueak khaeng), literally “allergic to hard-shell nuts.” Few people use the term in daily life, so list the nuts you react to, starting with cashew (เม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์).

Is Thai food safe with a shellfish allergy?

It is hard. Fish sauce, shrimp paste and oyster sauce are base ingredients rather than toppings, so most curries, dips and stir-fries contain at least one of them. Ask for dishes made fresh and seasoned with salt or soy sauce, and carry a card that names each of these by its Thai word.