MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was carried out from April to June 2010, in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok. The sample size was calculated from the prevalence of food safety in previous surveys; therefore, the sample was 13 food shops, 55 food stalls and 92 food handlers working in the stalls and shops. Food shops and food stalls were selected with the criteria that they were located on the path taken by the monks to receive merit food in the morning. A food sanitation checklist for food shops and food stalls, which was a modified version of the one used by the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, was used for investigation. The food sanitation checklist for food shops consisted of the following 9 items: available area for customers, food handling and processing area, fresh food, food additives, ready-to-eat food, equipment and utensils,