papaya salad or som tum is the most popular dish in Thailand. It is a Northeastern food that is eaten with sticky rice and other Northeastern dishes such as laab, beef salad and bamboo shoot salad.
Spicy Green Papaya Salad (som tum or som tam) is a popular dish from the North Eastern part of Thailand (the largely rural Isan region) that combines spicy, sour and sweet flavors to make a classic dish. It is often served alongside barbecue or grilled chicken and a portion of sticky rice.