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Maggots Found in Street Market Fried Chicken in Nakhon Ratchasima
A woman in Nakhon Ratchasima Province had a deeply unpleasant experience in May 2026 after buying crispy fried chicken from a street market vendor, only to discover live maggots and maggot eggs inside the meat before feeding it to her young daughter. The incident, which was shared on Facebook, is a stark reminder that street food can sometimes carry serious hygiene risks even when it looks fine from the outside.
What Happened
On May 24, 2026, Facebook user Nampeun Jittra bought fried chicken from a street market vendor near Sap Pradu Reservoir, paying 50 baht per piece. After chopping the pieces into smaller portions, she was about to feed the chicken to her child when she noticed something wrong. As she described it: "I noticed strange white objects in the food." On closer inspection, she found live maggots and maggot eggs present in every single piece. The meat inside also appeared pink and visually undercooked.
In a caption accompanying the video she posted, Nampeun wrote: "End of my dinner. Honestly, this is the worst thing I've ever encountered with food in my life. I just wish the seller had checked the food more carefully. I still don't even know what to say… I'm still feeling creeped out."
What This Means for Street Food Safety
A few things stand out about this incident that are worth keeping in mind when eating street food anywhere in Thailand:
- External appearance is not enough. The chicken looked like normal fried food from the outside. The problem only became visible after the pieces were chopped open and examined closely.
- Pink or undercooked meat inside fried food is a warning sign. The meat appeared uncooked despite being fried, which could indicate the food was cooked at insufficient temperatures or that the raw product was already spoiled before frying.
- Chopping or breaking food open before eating is a good habit. In this case, that extra step before feeding the food to her child likely prevented a very unpleasant or potentially dangerous situation.
- Low price does not automatically mean safe to skip checking. At 50 baht per piece, this was an inexpensive purchase, and budget street food can sometimes reflect lower standards of ingredient handling or storage.
Where This Happened
The vendor was located near Sap Pradu Reservoir in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, a spot that attracts day-trippers and locals. If you are visiting the area, or any street market in Thailand, it is worth taking a moment to look at your food carefully before eating, especially with fried items where the coating can disguise what is going on inside.
Information sourced from Bangkok Post.