Am I better of eating food in a restaurant or are cheap and cheerful vendors ok as long as the food is pretty much torched to death or doused in chilli? Don't want my hol ruined by getting the shits. What do you pros recommend?

The quality of the food on street stalls varies from terrific to crap, its the same in all eating places, indoors or outdoors, these are very basic questions your asking are you wise enough to be wandering round Thailand.

I am certain the Bar Girls will eat you for breakfast without you knowing your on the menu, Thailand and Pattaya is like nowhere else in the world, it kinda blows your mind so you need to be able to adapt and change in an instant...

There are some decent guys who hang out here who will show round Patts but they won't hold your hand, so do your homework and come back with specifics, street stalls are self explanatory the world over, you pays your money and ya takes your chance...

People selling almost never wash their hands for one thing. Fried food is perhaps safer than other food but be careful when eating or ordering seafood, I only have seafood in good restaurants and even then it's not perfectly safe. The worst kind of food poisoning comes from seafood such as shrimps and badly cooked fish. Diarrhea is the mildest symptom of food poisoning, there are certain other kinds that kill people within fifteen minutes, believe it or not.

I eat from all sorts of places. Other than minor cases of the shits I have only been reasonably sick once. I think as long as you don't have a weak stomach you will be OK anywhere but you are running a bit of a risk.

I'm moving this to a more appropriate area.

Have your Thai girl check out where you eat. She knows the good places. Both street vendors and restaurants chosen by my teeraks were usually safe, only a few time some diarrhea, nothing worse. Don't be paranoia about it.

I like to mix it up, the best vendor i found in my opinion is just before angelwitch. Serves a stunnin chicken noodle soup ate there alot when passing and was never ill.

eat at the food stalls everyday. Usually have a look at the food they're using first. I've had food poisoning a couple of times in Thailand and its always been from seafood and always shells. So I only eat shelled food in good restraunts now.

Eat from everywhere, just to try it. Save loads of money if you eat from the street carts. I think I got salmonela(spelling?) once. Had water shits for a week then at end of week broke into a fever for a day then more water shits for 3 days after fever, then I was good to go!! Good thing it happened when I went home!

Thanks guys don't mean to sound naive have done plenty of back packing before but that was done central and south america. I usually try some of the stuff the locals eat and obviously avoid the seafood just wanted a little feedback if anyone does or to totally avoid it. Can't stand people who just eat the same crap as they do at home. To be honest though anything that survives a flaming wok and thai chillis has probably earnt the right to give you grief anyway. Thanks all

I have only been sick from Crazy Daves and Tequilla Reef, just buy at busy places

Stalls all the way. To be honest your gonna get the shits after 5 or so days as your body is getting used to different types of food. I eat Thai 95% of the time as its so cheap and I love it. Depends what you want really but for me I dont see the point of paying 200+ bht in a restaurant when I can get the same dish for 20-30 bht from a vendor. The quality will be exactly the same. Just be a little savvy where you decide to buy from. Eat at the popular stalls where there are alot of Thais as they are just as fussy about their food.

Theres a massive thread in the newbie section by myself which has places, recommendations etc.

Good luck

Have only had trouble with oysters, otherwise would not hesitate to eat from street vendors