Sompong Thai Cooking School

Silom Soi 13 in Bangkok sees a lot of foot traffic at lunchtime, but a four-hour class held in the middle of that street quietly includes both lunch and dinner — a detail that sets it apart from most cooking schools, which stop at one meal. The morning session adds a local market tour before the stove work begins.

Instruction covers four dishes per class, built around a homemade curry paste made from scratch rather than a pre-made base, alongside guidance on Thai herbs and ingredients for travelers with no prior cooking background. Group size runs up to ten. A recipe book goes home with each guest, and bottled water and lemongrass tea are provided through the session. All fees, taxes, lunch, and dinner are included in the $42 starting price; only pickup service is excluded, so getting to the yellow building in the middle of Silom Soi 13, near Silom BTS station, is on the traveler.

Cancellation terms here are firmer than most tours on the site: bookings are final, with no refund once confirmed, and confirmation isn’t instant either. The class holds a 5.0 rating from 129 reviews.

Watch out: this booking is non-refundable once confirmed and doesn’t confirm instantly — check the date works before paying.

Insider Tip: The school is walkable from Silom BTS station — look for the yellow building halfway down Soi 13 rather than waiting on pickup, since none is offered.