Piles of Puak

Puak is the Thai word for taro. The long skinny sticks are puak chips, and the flat yellow ones are banana chips. Vendors displaying their snacks like this will often let you taste one before you buy a bag. It's a good sales technique. Both the flavor and the feeling of "greng jai" after eating some will draw you into making a purchase.

"Greng jai" can be generally translated into being considerate. However, in Thai culture, it includes much more than just thinking of other people. There is a large aspect of not imposing, saving face, and avoiding embarrassment that is woven into the very traditional and yet still modern act of being "greng jai."