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How to Order Thai Tea in Bangkok: Phrases, Sweetness Levels & Prices
Ordering Thai tea in Bangkok takes about ten words. Learn these and you can set the sweetness, skip half the ice and get it to go — at a street cart or a mall kiosk.
Sweetness levels, explained
Most Bangkok chains and many cafes let you pick a sugar level, usually 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100%. At street carts you will not see a menu for it, but vendors understand the Thai phrases below. The default is 100%, and it is very sweet — for a first glass we suggest 50%, which lets the roasted tea and spice come through.
Percentages map loosely onto the phrases: wan noi (less sweet) is roughly 50%, mai wan (not sweet) is 0%. Some shops go above 100% if you ask for wan mak (very sweet).
The phrasebook
Pronunciations are simplified for English speakers. Thai is tonal, so do not worry about sounding perfect — pointing at the menu while you say it works fine.
| Thai | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ชาเย็น | cha yen | Thai iced milk tea — the orange one |
| ชาร้อน | cha ron | Hot Thai milk tea |
| ชาดำเย็น | cha dam yen | Iced black tea, no milk (still sweet) |
| ชามะนาว | cha manao | Iced lime tea |
| ชาเขียว | cha khiao | Thai green milk tea |
| ชาเย็นปั่น | cha yen pan | Blended / frappé Thai tea |
| หวานน้อย | wan noi | Less sweet |
| หวานปกติ | wan pok-ga-ti | Normal sweetness (the default) |
| ไม่หวาน | mai wan | Not sweet |
| น้ำแข็งน้อย | nam khaeng noi | Less ice |
| เพิ่มไข่มุก | perm khai muk | Add tapioca pearls |
| กลับบ้าน | glap baan | To take away |
| ทานที่นี่ | tan tee nee | For here |
| เท่าไหร่ | tao rai | How much? |
| ขอบคุณครับ / ค่ะ | khop khun khrap / kha | Thank you (men say khrap, women say kha) |
To put it together: “Kho cha yen neung kaeo, wan noi, glap baan” — one Thai iced tea, less sweet, to take away. Add khrap or kha at the end to be polite.
What it costs
Prices vary a lot by setting. As a rough guide in 2026:
- Street carts and markets: roughly ฿25–50 a glass, served in a plastic cup or bag with a straw.
- Chains and mall kiosks: roughly ฿45–90, usually with the sweetness menu.
- Specialty tea houses: ฿95 and up — see the stops on our 2026 Thai Tea Power List.
Cash and Thai QR payments are the norm at carts; bring small notes.
What to order besides cha yen
- Cha manao — iced tea with lime, no milk. Tart and refreshing on hot afternoons (our recipe).
- Cha dam yen — the same spiced tea, sweetened but without milk.
- Cha khiao — Thai green milk tea, floral and pale green (our recipe).
- Cha yen pan — blended with ice into a frappé (make it at home).
Tips from Bangkok
- Watch the pour. Good vendors strain the tea through a cloth sock and pour it between two pitchers to aerate it. That pull-pour is the texture you are paying for.
- Drink it fast. The ice melts quickly in Bangkok heat — nam khaeng noi (less ice) gets you more tea.
- Bring it home. Most stalls use the same mix you can buy at any supermarket. Here is the one we recommend, and our brew calculator scales the recipe for any batch.
The blend the calculator is built around — the same mix most Bangkok stalls use.
Check price on Amazon →Frequently asked questions
How do you say less sweet in Thai?
Say “wan noi” (หวานน้อย). For no sugar at all, say “mai wan” (ไม่หวาน).
What sweetness level should I order Thai tea at?
The default is 100% and very sweet. For a first glass, 50% lets the roasted tea and spice come through while keeping the classic creamy taste.
How much does Thai tea cost in Bangkok?
Roughly 25–50 baht at street carts, 45–90 baht at chains and mall kiosks, and 95 baht or more at specialty tea houses (2026).
Keep reading
- The 2026 Thai Tea Power List: 7 Bangkok spots
- Authentic Thai iced tea (cha yen) at home
- The history of cha yen
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