某天在和朋友到商場休息時，剛好在傳統美食街中，看到正在舉行活動，我們湊近一看，原來是泰國物產展展，攤位上有著各式各樣的泰國道地特產、潮流零食及伴手禮等，我對泰國食物又酸又辣的印象，深入我的每個細胞中，不過，泰國零食也是很有味覺衝擊，泰國 Bento 魷魚片幾年前，是人們到泰國玩一定會帶回來的伴手禮，它的辣度，真是令人又愛又怕，正好看看有甚麼新玩意兒。
船麵（Boat Noodle）是泰國街邊常見的小吃，聽說起源於昔日的曼谷水上市場，當時的小販會划著小船販售麵食，因此得名，船麵的特色在於湯頭濃厚、香氣強烈，泰國自煮船麵火鍋看起來是一款結合了傳統泰式船麵的濃郁湯頭與現代火鍋的新產品，好像可以買回去嚐嚐味道。
鹹蛋黃洋芋片這款零食產品，前陣子也風行過一段時間，連新聞都有報導出來，也是很多去泰國玩的人，會帶回來的伴手禮，據說可以吃到鹹蛋黃的鹹香，也蠻適合下酒的，還有一款泰國偶像代言的酸奶，不過，偶像一定不會過來宣傳，所以，用人形立牌代替，酸奶這類的產品的話，不同的廠牌應該差異不大吧。
居然在這裡可以看到泰國皇家牛奶片，立刻勾起我的回憶，泰國皇家牛奶片相傳是泰國普密蓬國王為了讓泰國人民生活更好，牛奶片不以營利為目的，以高品質的鮮牛奶為原料，結合傳統工藝和現代技術製成，希望它能成為貧困地區的兒童也能夠享用到的有營養的零食，在泰國當地的一般超市就有販售，價錢相當合理，算是物超所值，之前我在泰國超市購買時，一包10元泰銖，現在這裡是賣三包一百元台幣。
我因為電影海苔億萬富翁，認識了小老闆海苔這款產品，但是，我本身並沒有很愛海苔，其它有名的伴手禮還有大哥大花生豆、清邁牛奶糖、泰式泡麵、螃蟹餅乾等，其中，我對泰國媽媽麵較有興趣，因為我口味吃得較重，且它曾多次被評為全球十大美味泡麵之一，不過，台北的某些東南亞雜貨店或大賣場就可以買的到，不需要特地在這裡買，然而，人們在這裡，可以不用飛泰國、就能買到多種類的泰國人氣商品。
One day, while I was hanging out with a friend at a shopping mall, we decided to take a break and happened to stumble upon a Thai cultural fair taking place in the traditional food street area. We walked closer out of curiosity and realized it was a Thailand Products Exhibition. The booths were filled with all kinds of authentic Thai specialties, trendy snacks, and souvenirs. I’ve always associated Thai food with that bold mix of sour and spicy flavors that leave a deep impression on my taste buds. Thai snacks, too, are quite a sensory experience—Bento squid snacks, for example, were once one of the must-buy souvenirs for anyone visiting Thailand. Their spiciness is both addictive and intimidating. I figured it’d be fun to check out what new snacks they had this time.
Boat noodles are a popular Thai street food that originated from the old floating markets of Bangkok. Back then, vendors sold noodles from small boats, which is how the dish got its name. The soup is known for being rich, flavorful, and aromatic. I noticed they were also selling instant boat noodle hotpot kits, which combine the traditional boat noodle broth with a modern hotpot style—it looked interesting enough to take home and try.
Another snack that caught my eye was the salted egg yolk potato chips. These were all the rage not long ago, and even making it onto the news. Many travelers would bring them back from Thailand as souvenirs. They have that distinct salty egg flavor and apparently go great with drinks. I also spotted a yogurt drink endorsed by a Thai idol, though of course, the idol himself wasn’t there; there is just a cardboard standee. I suppose with yogurt drinks, the taste doesn’t vary too much between brands anyway.
To my surprise, I also found Royal Thai Milk Tablets there, which instantly brought back memories. These milk tablets are said to have been inspired by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who wanted to improve the lives of Thai people. The product wasn’t meant for profit but rather to provide a nutritious snack for children in poorer areas. Made with high-quality fresh milk and a blend of traditional and modern techniques, they’ve long been a symbol of wholesome value. You can easily find them in Thai supermarkets for just about 10 baht a pack, but here they were selling three packs for 100 New Taiwan dollars.
I first learned about Tao Kae Noi seaweed from the movie The Billionaire, which tells the story of its young founder. Though I’m not a big fan of seaweed myself, I recognize how famous it is. Other well-known Thai souvenirs include Big Brother peanuts, Chiang Mai milk candy, Thai instant noodles, and crab chips. Personally, I’m most interested in Mama instant noodles, known for their strong flavor and often ranked among the world’s top ten tastiest instant noodles. Still, since they’re easy to find at Southeast Asian grocery stores and supermarkets in Taipei, I didn’t feel the need to buy them here. That said, it’s still fun to browse. After all, here you can enjoy a little taste of Thailand and pick up all kinds of popular Thai products without even getting on a plane.
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