Originally Posted by
peterpan
Can't believe the size of those prawns, whoppers
They are indeed- I'm not sure if they are just a local species, or if they have been fished out furher upriver- but you just don't see them this size in Mukdahan or Nong Khai. The first visit I paid to Khong Chiam was about 3.5 years ago- same restaurant actually, and as luck would have it a fisherman paddled alongside with his catch- which was three phenomonally big river prawns! I kid you not- the largest was safely two foot long. I've never seen a freshwater crustacean that big- naturally, we had to have them.
The biggest they had this time was 18 inches- whether thats a seasonal thing, luck of the draw, or an indicator that they are being overfished I don't know- but I suspect the latter.
Get 'em while they're hot I say- the biggest ones are 600 bht per kilo live from the holding nets (can't complain at that) the smallies a good deal cheaper.