Khan Toke Meal

Coming to Chiang Mai, there is one thing that you should not miss if you look forward to feeling the authentic touch of this slow-paced city. If you just guess Doi Suthep, you just got it wrong because Doi Suthep temple is supposed to be your number-one place to go in Chiang Mai. It’s not the nightclubs on Loikroh Road or the Pang Chang elephant show either. It is a dinner but not just a regular dinner – it’s a special Khan Toke dinner.

It is often misunderstood that Khan Toke was invented for tourists’ amusement. Khan Toke meal is however a traditional dining native only to Thai people in the North of Thailand where Lanna culture is still practiced. Khon Toke originated in the reign of Lanna Kingdom which existed during 18th-20th B.E. prior to the Kingdom of Thailand. Unlike the West, Northern Thai people, while dining Khan Toke style, seat themselves on the floor and eat their munchies that are placed in a Khan Toke, not on a dining table.

Khan Toke is a pedestal tray differing in size and height. Typical Khan Toke looks like a low round table with several legs connected to the tray top. Wood, bamboo, rattan and coconut shell are used as raw materials for making the food tray. Traditionally, five different dishes are served on the Khan Toke. These dishes are popular in Chiang Mai and its vicinity but less known by people of other regions. The Khan Toke dishes are eaten with steamed sticky rice. The follow pictures show the five dishes along with sticky rice:

Khan Toke dinner has become a social gathering since 1953 and has made its way into many Thai ceremonies and parties as a way that the host caters to their guests. While dining Khan Toke style, you’ll also be entertained by many Northern Thai traditional shows that set the tone of Lanna aesthetics. Fawn Leb or Fingernail Dance is a signature dance of Northern Thailand that female dancers wearing six-inch-long brass fingernails dance to slow-tempo music. Also, you will catch a glimpse of hill tribe people in their tribal dances performed during your dining.

Thai people in the North usually hold Khan Toke lunch or dinner at various ceremonies including weddings; housewarmings; novice ordination and other celebrations. Khan Toke implies the welcoming of guests into their house. Do not miss a chance to experience the Khan Toke dinner in Chiang Mai to immerse yourselves into the ancient culture of Lanna.

Please check out our Chiang Mai Tour Packages page if you are looking for a tour package that includes Chiang Mai Khan Toke dinner. We make sure that your vacation to Chiang Mai is like no others.