You’ve probably been told of the dangers of doing drugs in Thailand. Yaba, the local version of crystal meth, or ice, is common on the streets and readily available. As are informants and police who will enjoy partaking of your bank account while you partake of the Thai prison system. So Nancy Reagan got something right.

Equally addicting and equally dangerous are the tempting liquids sold on the street to help you cool down from Bangkok’s heat and humidity. This cart offers a double whammy: The local version of orange juice, and tropical coconut. Thailand’s version of orange juice is made with 5% juice and 95% sugar. If you think yaba gives you a rush, just try downing a bottle of orange juice in Bangkok.

Sipping the juice from a coconut should be safe though. That nectar is as the gods intended it, and if you do not hail from a tropical clime, drinking straight out of what was just recently hanging on a tree is pretty damn exotic. It’s also pretty damn diarrhetic. Packed with simple sugars, electrolytes, and beneficial minerals, coconut juice is good for you. But what you are downing from freshly cut green coconuts like these is coconut water. And drinking too much will send you rushing off to the nearest loo.For a day or two.

So Bangkokbois’ rule for eating street food in the Big Mango is that if it looks foreign and like something you should avoid at all costs, dig in. If it looks safe and familiar, you’ll be better off grabbing a nice cold, sealed, bottle of water.

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