Can I only buy it in season?
It is listed as available all year round. However, the varieties and stock on sale differ from stall to stall, so look at whole fruit and prepared fruit separately.
Banana
Banana · กล้วย
In Thailand you can find everything from small bananas to bananas of several shapes. As well as eating them as fresh fruit, there are menus where they go into roti or are grilled. If you are looking for a simple snack on the street, also look at roti with banana.
Bananavarieties · TimothyPilgrim · CC BY-SA 3.0
Resized for display · Photo used under CC BY-SA 3.0
When is the best time to eat it?
A fruit to enjoy all year
Differs by variety and growing area
Kluai khai bananas from Kamphaeng Phet: harvest period listed as all year
Use the main season, or the harvest period for regional fruit, as a guide. Actual availability can vary with the growing area, the variety and the weather.
What does it taste like?
The sweetness and the firmness of the flesh differ with the variety and how ripe it is. It helps to tell apart bananas eaten when they ripen to yellow and bananas used in cooking.
Why this fruit is well known in Thailand
It is a familiar fruit used in many Thai dishes and snacks. Kluai khai bananas from Kamphaeng Phet are presented as a regional GI fruit. If you have only thought of one kind of banana, look for varieties of different shapes and sizes at the market.
Good to know before you buy
- Thai name
- กล้วย
- Harvest period
- A fruit to enjoy all year
- Regional fruit
- Kluai khai bananas from Kamphaeng Phet: harvest period listed as all year
- How it is sold
- Bananas are sometimes sold by the bunch instead of by the kilo. Look at how many are in a bunch, and if you want to eat them straight away, choose ripe bananas.
How to prepare and eat it
- Ask whether the price is for a bunch or for a set number of bananas.
- Choose ripe bananas to eat straight away, then peel and eat.
- Banana roti and grilled bananas are different menus from whole fruit, so look at their prices separately.
A guide to prices
Bangkok retail prices · 14 October 2026
These are prices by variety and grade, surveyed by Thailand’s Department of Internal Trade. They do not apply to every stall on the street.
| Fruit and variety | Price | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Banana · Nam Wa (น้ำว้า) | 40–50 baht | 1 bunch |
Keep the price of a bag or tub of cut fruit separate from the per-kilo price of whole fruit. Bananas are priced per bunch in this survey.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare a per-kilo price with the price of a tub?
Bananas are sometimes sold by the bunch instead of by the kilo. Look at how many are in a bunch, and if you want to eat them straight away, choose ripe bananas.
Keep exploring
Official sources and references
If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.
Sharing image credit: TimothyPilgrim · CC BY-SA 3.0