North Thailand Road Trip (Part 5): Eating Bugs in Chiang Rai Night Market

Eating bugs is not a new experience for me. Years ago, when I’m still a college student, a neighbor challenged me to eat this:

(Photo by Pilya)

This insect is called salagubang and it usually live on trees and very abundant during summer. We usually shake the trees around our house and these insects fall like hailstones. Children usually catch these bugs and used them as toys. Adults, on the other hand, catch them and turn them into pulutan.

I accepted my neighbor’s challenge and eaten one fried salagubang. Well, it was crunchy and salty. I admit that I almost puked it out. The eeky factor was still there.

In Thailand, our generous Thai friend Yam gave us a similar challenge. He asked us if we are brave enough to eat these bugs being sold in a night market in Chiang Rai:

I was up for the challenge but our Myanmar friend was hesitant in eating any insect. He preferred to eat the normal food being sold in the night market.

To convince our Burmese friend to accept the challenge, Yam bought the easiest bug meal in the menu which is the silkworm. He also bought some fried cricket. Yam paid 30 Baht for every plate of the fried insects.

Did our friend tried out the bugs? The answer is “yes” after much prodding. I guess the sight of these bugs unnerved him.

The fried silkworm and fried cricket tasted OK. They are crunchy and salty and they’re good partner for the beer that we drank that night.

I think I will not eat the fried bugs during normal days. Maybe I will eat them when I’m desperately hungry or maybe when I’m in Cambodia.

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Read more of our adventures in North Thailand:

North Thailand Road Trip (Part 1): Lampang’s Hidden Gem
North Thailand Road Trip (Part 2): A Taste of Chiang Rai’s Kôw Soy

North Thailand Road Trip (Part 3):Coffee Time at Le Petit Café
North Thailand Road Trip (Part 4): The Bizarre White Temple of Chiang Rai

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