Faster than any other social media platform, Instagram has become a major tool for people to find out what’s happening on the Bangkok dining scene. Forget 1,000-word customer experiences—a photo, an address and maybe a price tag is all it takes to let people know if a restaurant’s worth their Friday evening. While Instagram allows for up to 2,200 characters in its caption space (about three times the length of this paragraph), the most popular Instagram bloggers in town rarely use even a quarter of that. With free dining perks and even financial support coming the way of any Instragrammer who can build up the right following, the number of have-a-go photo food bloggers in Bangkok has surged. But only a few have gained as many followers as these Instagram foodies, who now carry more weight in the eyes of this city’s restaurateurs than most traditional media.

eatandshout

eatandshout was just awarded Thailand’s Food Influencer award from the Influence Asia 2015 awards. Her account specializes in steak and yakiniku but you’ll also find plenty more foodie offerings in her collection of almost 3,000 photos and videos.

  

How did @eatandshout get started?

From street food to fine dining, I used to post so many food pictures on my personal Instagram account that my friends complained about it, so I created a new account to only post my food pics. 

Do you dine for free?

I get invited to dine at a few restaurants every day. But I have to be selective—I only go to places that suit my lifestyle. That said, I paid the bill for more 90 percent of the pics on my account.

Do you get paid to post? 

A few places do pay for me to post, mostly shopping malls. I've been offered up to B15,000 for one post. 

---

ppgallery

Piyada Punnakitikasem, 33 businesswoman

194k followers, 184w

 

From eggs Benedict to shaved ice and cheesecake, the plain-speaking @ppgallery lets her tantalizing and often humorous #foodporn videos do the talking.

 

How did @ppgallery get started?

I don’t normally cook at home so dining out is part of my lifestyle. The food I eat and places I go are what my account is all about. I don’t feel forced to write information and details or even comment in the captions. 

 

How often do places invite you to dine?

Invited and paid reviews are not what I do. Even so, I get contacted by hotels and restaurants for reviews almost every day. 

 

Have you ever made money from your account?

The most I’ve done is being on contract with a credit card to dine at restaurants they’re partnered with and to post pictures of the dishes I like with the promotions. Just like what you’d tell your friends.

---

golfphlat

Phlat Nithipipitchai, 34 freelance writer/food and prop stylist/interior photographer/service designer

25.6k followers, 206w

 

golfphlat is a serious #cafehopper with an aesthetic mind. You’ll find not only nice food pics but also decent interior shots on his account. He’s also one of the first people to know about any cafe openings in Bangkok.

 

How did @golfphlat get started?

Food and interior are my passion and coffee is my life—I average between four and eight cups a day. My Instagram was just a normal personal account in the early days with lifestyle and personal pics, but I stopped posting stuff that was too personal when it started to go public. 

 

How do you find new places to post about?

I know about new cafes from like-minded people amid a growing network of cafe-hoppers. 

 

Do you make any money from the account?

Well, I have been contacted to do cafe consulting. But when I’m invited to cafes, I make it clear that I won’t post pics if I don’t like it, and will pay for what I eat. 

---

itan

Kittidech Vimolratana, 38 businessman

83.2k followers, 208w

 

More than just a blogger, @itan has become a Bangkok food institution, appearing on television shows and now giving out his own approval stickers to restaurants.

 

How did @itan get started?

I used to be a host for a food TV show called Tan Raitiemtarn on Channel 5. The account started as a regular personal account but people asked me for a comeback on IG and I thought I could help restaurants. 

 

Do you get paid doing this?

No. I do accept invitations but I have my own rules. Contact me if you want me to taste your food. If I like it, I post the pic. If not, no amount of money can get it on my IG page. 

 

What inspired you to make your own sticker?

Choosing where to dine can be tough in areas where many restaurants are located. I want people who pass by and see the sticker to know that they can enjoy yummy food there. I use my face as a guarantee. 

---

BK Asks

How important are Instagrammers to Bangkok’s PR people?

 

Khemwanta Tangon

Marcom Manager for Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok

 

Which Instagrammers do you most want to visit your restaurants?

I really like @madametuang for so many reasons. She’s a chef so also reviews the food and whoever follows her is actually into good food.

 

Are Instagrammers as valuable to your restaurants as traditional media?

It depends what we’re trying to promote. There’s less red tape when it comes to alcohol promotions. If we want to promote, say, a happy hour, then traditional media are more likely to get a warning from the Ministry of Health, whereas bloggers can just post it straight away. 

 

Duangmanee Yantawattana

Marcom Director, W Bangkok

 

Which Instagrammers do you most want to visit your restaurants?

It’s not a person but a group with its own branding called @eataroundtheclock. But there’s a whole group of around 30 bloggers who I invite to eat. 

 

Do Instagrammers bring more people to your restaurants than traditional media?

They can be more effective, yes. They post right there and you can straight away see 200 likes—and then those people come and check in. It was really important when we opened The House three months ago. You can tell which crowd follows them because you can check who’s using their hashtags.

---

10 Other Bangkok Instagram Food Accounts You Should Know

Kinlag, 192k Followers A directory-like food account that provides essential details about restaurants.

 

Cafeteller, 18.4k Followers A relative newcomer offering a clean and precise directory of cafes.

 

Paidonnnn, 41.9k Followers This user gives out comments and info about the restaurants it visits.

 

Mshappydiet, 37.9k Followers Follow her for a healthy and happy food lifestyle.

 

Bon_appetitbkk,  72.2k Followers This user includes bilingual captions to picture posts.

 

Prassyeatery, 8k Followers The long-standing food blogger just started her Instagram recently.

 

Sweetlists, 132k Followers People with a sweet tooth may want to check this all-about-desserts account.

 

Puppup_food guru, 8.3k Followers Follow him for a taste of the millionare foodie high-life

 

Mayafteryou, 169k Followers An active foodie who posts a bunch more than just her popular toast and kakigori.

 

BKmagazine, 11.1k Followers New restaurants and bars as well as food events. Plus tons more lifestyle content.