“Friends are people who know you very well and like you anyway”

— Greg Tamblyn

Reconnecting with an Old Friend in Bangkok: A Day of Food, Memories, and Inspiration

Hooi Nee and I attended the same school in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, but lost touch after graduation—I moved to Melbourne, Australia, while she worked for DELL in Singapore. Then, in an unbelievable twist of fate, we randomly bumped into each other at the DELL office in Sathorn, Bangkok! She even gave me a ride to Suvarnabhumi Airport, and I just knew our paths would cross again.  

Fast forward to March 2025, and we finally made plans to meet up properly. And let me tell you—it was worth the wait!  

Morning Food Adventure at Ramkhamhaeng 166 Market. 

Black and white school portrait photos of a girl and boy, surrounded by colorful illustrations of a calculator, stationery, and laboratory glassware.

Are you still in touch with your school friends?

In this heartwarming reunion, I caught up with my high school buddy Hooi Nee, who now lives in Bangkok’s Samphran Sung district with her family. 

Two people are taking a selfie outdoors, smiling, with a man in a blue shirt and a woman in a yellow shirt. They are wearing wireless microphones clipped to their shirts, and there are trees and a metal railing in the background.

We started our day with a local food tour at Ramkhamhaeng 166 Morning Market, diving into authentic Thai street food and soaking in the morning energy. 🥢🌶️ 

Street scene with motorcycles, cars, and scooters in front of shops and apartments under a cloudy sky.

Ramkhamhaeng 166 Morning Market

Smiling barista preparing coffee behind a small shop window with a sign that says "Black Coffee"; a customer with red hair is in front of the shop, and a sign on the window shows the shop is open from 6:00 am to 11:00 am.

The Lady that likes to make coffee

Our first stop was a tiny coffee kiosk called Black Coffee, where Hooi Nee always gets her morning fix. The lady boss only sells coffee until 11 AM only because she works at a computer shop afterward. Talk about passion! Even more charming? The payment system is self-service —customers leave money in a small basket. 

A woman preparing a beverage with a funnel in a coffee shop kitchen, with a man behind her focused on a device, and various kitchen appliances and items on the counter.
A woman pours blended coffee from a pitcher into a large plastic cup with a lid, in a coffee shop. There are containers of whipped cream and other toppings on the counter.


Black Coffee at Ramkhamhaeng 166 Morning Market

Moo Ping – Thailand’s Breakfast Staple

Street food stall under a red canopy selling fried chicken and other dishes, with a woman in a yellow shirt and a man in a blue and white shirt browsing the food.

Grilled Pork with Sticky Rice (Moo Ping | ข้าวเหนียวหมูปิ้ง). If you’ve been to Thailand, you know the irresistible smell of juicy pork skewers sizzling over charcoal. Paired with sticky rice, it’s the ultimate on-the-go breakfast.

Street food stall with multiple trays of fried and cooked meat, some being served with utensils.


Moo Ping | ข้าวเหนียวหมูปิ้ง

Legendary Patongo – The Perfect Pairing

Person frying small dough balls in hot oil at a food stall.

No Thai breakfast is complete without Patongo (Thai-style fried dough - ปาท่องโก๋). We grabbed some from a famous stall in front of Lotus Supermarket and enjoyed it with our earlier coffee purchase—absolute heaven!


Patongo (ปาท่องโก๋) at Ramkhamhaeng 166 Morning Market

A man and woman standing outdoors near a food cart, the man is drinking from a large bag with a straw, and the woman is holding a small container of green sauce and a piece of bread, smiling at him.

After breakfast, we headed to International Montessori Preschool, the school Hooi Nee started during the pandemic. Over coffee, she shared her challenges and triumphs of relocating to Thailand and building a new life here.  We also had a fun chat about common misconceptions Malaysians have about Thailand—some might surprise you!  All these while muching delicious Moo Ping with sticky rice. 

Visiting Hooi Nee’s Preschool

Building with sign for International Montessori Preschool, showing banners advertising preschool for children 2-4 years old, with images of children engaging in activities.


International Montessori Preschool

A woman is standing in a white room with framed artwork on the wall, wearing a yellow shirt, and speaking while gesturing with her hands.


The proud owner

Two people engaged in conversation in a room with playful and colorful wall decorations, including a paper airplane, a crown, and cartoon characters, with a window and blinds in the background.


Chatting away on all things Thailand

Southern Thai Feast at Benz Boss Kitchen

Assorted dishes on a dining table, including a bowl of soup with cabbage, fried fish, rice, cooked chicken, curry with ground meat, and salad.

To wrap up the day, we indulged in a mouthwatering Southern Thai meal at one of Hooi Nee’s favorite spots—Benz Boss Kitchen. She practically eats here every day, and after one bite, I understood why! 


Benz Boss Restaurant serving southern Thai cuisine

A woman and a man sit at a table with various dishes, the woman is eating rice, and the man is reaching towards her with a fork. There are water bottles and multiple plates of food on the table. The background has a brick wall and family portraits.

A Day Filled with Laughter, Nostalgia, and Delicious Food

Reconnecting with Hooi Nee was the highlight of my Bangkok trip. Here’s to more meet-ups with old friends—and maybe another food adventure soon!  Watch the full experience on my YouTube channel here: