Thai desserts lean heavily on coconut, sticky rice and tropical fruit, distinct from Western dessert traditions in both texture and sweetness style.
Mango sticky rice (khao niew mamuang)
The best-known Thai dessert internationally — sweet coconut-soaked sticky rice served with fresh ripe mango, best in April–June when mango is at its peak.
Coconut-based sweets
Look for khanom (a broad category of traditional Thai sweets), many built around coconut milk, palm sugar and rice flour — steamed, layered or grilled into a wide range of small, often colourful bites sold at markets.
Roti and ice cream stalls
Street-level roti stalls sell both savoury and sweet versions, the latter often filled with banana and condensed milk or chocolate — a common late-evening market snack alongside Thai-style rolled ice cream.
Where to find them
Night markets (see our night markets guide) are generally the best source for a wide range of traditional desserts in one place, rather than relying on restaurant dessert menus, which tend to stick to a narrow selection.