Just as Orange County’s Little Saigon is home to the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam, Los Angeles is said to host the largest Thai population outside Thailand, centered non-exclusively in Thai Town – a neighborhood roughly bordered by Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards, from Western to Normandie Avenues. With Kanomwaan at the northern midpoint, Jitlada at the southern midpoint, largely non-Thai businesses on the west and Lacha Somtum near the east, Thai Town offers residents and visitors access to several dozen Thai businesses ranging from restaurants and supermarkets to clothing stores and massage parlors. Silom Supermarket, located in the Thailand Plaza shopping center, offers imported packaged foods and limited selections of produce and ready-to-eat pre-made items.
Parking can be challenging throughout Thai Town; street parking may be your best bet, as small plazas frequently have few open spots during peak hours and/or require paid valet service. That’s likely because the neighborhood’s concentration of Thai restaurants is unmatched in Southern California and likely elsewhere in the US – so if you’re looking for something obscure from Thailand, or just a locally unique experience, consider Thai Town worth the drive from Orange County.
