Food and budgeting
Where to eat around Tha Prachan and Wang Lang, student-recommended places, and a rough sense of monthly costs.
Last updated: 25 July 2026
Food near Tha Prachan is among the best value in Bangkok, away from the tourist-facing streets.
Eating on and near campus
- Faculty and university canteens, the cheapest options, with rotating rice-and-curry stalls, noodle stands and drinks counters. Reliable for a quick lunch between classes.
- Tha Prachan market streets. Small family-run shops around the campus serve everything from boat noodles to grilled skewers at student-friendly prices.
- Wang Lang (Siriraj) market. Across the river by a short boat hop, Wang Lang is a well-known food market popular with students for its range and prices, especially in the evenings.
For a wider map of places, ratings and a small map, see Food and housing nearby.
Places students recommend
Recommendations from students, with what to order and roughly how much it costs.
| Place | What to order | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| นิวย่งฮั้ว (New Yong Hua) | Duck noodles, red pork noodles | 50 to 100 baht |
| หม่าล่าหน้ามอ | Fish tofu, bacon-wrapped sausage skewers | From 10 baht a skewer |
| ป้าป้อมขนมโตเกียว | Cheese and fish filling, chocolate filling | 10 to 20 baht a piece |
| ร้านอาหารอีสาน แซ่บอำหลำ | Tam luang prabang, fried mid-wings | 20 to 300 baht |
| ร้านน้ำผลไม้ (fruit juice stall) | Watermelon smoothie | From 25 to 30 baht |
| LUA Café | Strawberry matcha | From 100 baht |
| ช่างคั่ว, Tha Prachan branch | Caramel macchiato, Earl grey peach pink vine | From 90 baht |
A few notes from the students who recommend these:
- นิวย่งฮั้ว: "everything is good, from duck rice to red pork rice to duck noodles; the noodles are soft, the roast duck is fragrant, and every bowl comes with soup."
- หม่าล่าหน้ามอ: several dipping sauces to choose from, spice level to your own taste, and a sweet sauce if you cannot handle spicy.
- ป้าป้อมขนมโตเกียว: a wide choice of savoury and sweet fillings, generously filled, good for a quick stop between classes.
- แซ่บอำหลำ: "proper Isaan food, clean, and you will not wait long"; a must for Isaan food fans.
- ร้านน้ำผลไม้: fresh fruit, blended smooth, and they will adjust the sweetness to how you like it.
- LUA Café and ช่างคั่ว both give a 10% discount when you show your student card.
Eating well on a budget
- Rice-and-one-topping ("khao rad gaeng") stalls are usually the cheapest hot meal option.
- Refillable water bottles save money; many buildings have drinking water points.
- Splitting shared plates or ordering family-style with friends stretches a budget further than eating alone every meal.
A rough monthly budget
Costs vary by lifestyle. Rough monthly ranges:
| Category | Typical monthly range (THB) |
|---|---|
| Food (mostly local eateries) | 4,000 to 7,000 |
| Transport (boat/MRT/bus) | 800 to 1,500 |
| Phone and data | 300 to 600 |
| Personal and social spending | 1,500 to 4,000 |
Prices shift and habits differ; treat these as a planning starting point.
Stretching your budget further
- Faculty events and BIRSA activities sometimes include free or discounted food. Check What's on.
- Convenience stores are useful for basics but usually cost more than market stalls for a full meal.
- Cooking is rare in most student housing near Tha Prachan, but some dorms have shared kitchens worth asking about.
When money gets tight
See Money matters for allowance and support pointers, and Health and wellbeing if money stress is affecting you.
Source
With thanks to the Thammasat University Student Union, Tha Prachan
Much of this page is drawn from the TU91 Handbook: The Magic of TPC, the 2025 orientation journal published by the Thammasat University Student Union, Tha Prachan (opens in a new tab) (องค์การนักศึกษามหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ ท่าพระจันทร์). Details such as prices, opening hours and contacts were correct when that handbook was published and can change, so check before you rely on them.
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