Coconut milk, kathi (กะทิ), appears in both savoury and sweet Thai dishes, but it does not make those dishes interchangeable. A curry paste, soup broth and dessert have different ingredients and preparation. When reading a menu, look for the whole dish rather than treating a coconut icon as a complete description.
Green curry: coconut with paste and protein
A Thailand Foundation green-curry example combines coconut milk and curry paste with a choice of protein; its recipe also includes eggplant, basil and fish sauce. That is one preparation, not a fixed formula for every kitchen. The menu should identify the restaurant's protein, main vegetables, sauce and whether rice or noodles come with the price. For a comparison with other curries, see the Thai curry guide.
Tom kha gai: a soup, not a curry
The Foundation's tom kha gai recipe uses coconut milk with chicken, galangal and other aromatics; its listed seasoning includes fish sauce. A coconut-based soup therefore is not automatically vegetarian or free of fish. Ask the restaurant which protein, seasoning and broth it uses, and how spicy its own serving is. The dish name alone does not settle these questions.
Banana in coconut milk: a different course
Kluai buat chi is a dessert example: Thailand Foundation describes bananas cooked in sweetened coconut milk. A restaurant should still say whether the portion is served hot or cold, what toppings it adds and whether other ingredients are used. A dessert description cannot be borrowed from a savoury curry simply because both contain coconut milk.
What coconut does not prove
“Made with coconut milk” does not certify a dish as dairy-free, vegan, suitable for an allergy or mild. A shop might use other prepared ingredients, fish sauce, meat, dairy or shared equipment. Check the current recipe, supplier labels and kitchen handling before assigning a dietary icon. If the kitchen cannot confirm a requested restriction, tell the customer rather than treating a generic food article as an assurance.
Writing a useful multilingual menu line
Start with the dish name, then name the coconut component, principal protein or fruit, sauce or broth, spice level as actually served, and included sides. Use a photograph of the product sold by the shop. When a recipe changes, update its Thai, English and Chinese descriptions and any printed materials together. The coconut ingredient helps explain texture; the complete dish description helps a visitor decide what to eat.