Popular Thai noodle (kuaytiaw) dishes are: phad Thai, khanorn jin and phad khii mao.
They come in various widths: wide (sen yai), thin (sen lek) and very thin (sen mii).Noodles can be stir fried (phat), momentarily doused in hot water and eaten dry (haeng) or served with a watery broth (nam). They can be eaten with gravy (rad naa), little balls of fish or meat (luk chin), or a fishy curry sauce (nam yaa). Not to mention all the do-it-yourself toppings you must choose in addition to the standard ingredients of whatever dish you ordered.
Most foreigners don’t realize that actual name of their all-time favorite Thai dish is kuaytiaw phad Thai, not merely phad Thai. Nor do they know that a well-made rendition is neither soggy nor oily. Instead it’s a heavenly blend of thin and chewy rice noodles stir fried with dried or fresh shrimp, tofu, egg, chive or scallion stalks and bean sprouts.
Those who, like myself, find kuaytiaw naam a bit on the jeut side should try a plate of kuaytiaw phad khii mao, literally fried noodles for a drunkard.
Made with chewy sen yai, meat or fish, plenty of fresh basil leaves and a lot of fresh chili, they should be spicy enough to awaken anyone’s taste buds. Khanom jin is found primarily at inexpensive restaurants and roadside stalls around the country that are dedicated to serving only this dish.
The initial serving of one or two coils of the “Chinese pastry” and a ladleful of spicy fish curry, or sometimes gaeng kiow wan, looks insubstantial until you’ve filled your bowl with blanched bean sprouts, pickled cabbage, fresh basil leaves, and assorted other greens of your choosing.
Probably the most famous noodle dish is Phad Thai which is sold sometimes as low as 10 Baht (Khao San Road, Bangkok)