“Thai salad” is a useful English category, but it is not a recipe. A papaya salad, a winged-bean yam and a meat-based larb may all be grouped under it while differing in main ingredient, dressing and preparation. A menu that calls every one of them simply “spicy salad” leaves customers guessing about what they will receive.
Som tam: specify the version
Som tam is a green-papaya salad in the Thailand Foundation's northeastern cuisine overview. The Foundation's pla ra article notes that some versions use fermented fish and some restaurants offer it as a choice. This does not mean every som tam contains pla ra or that leaving it out removes every animal-derived seasoning. Ask which version the restaurant serves and what goes into its dressing.
Yam: name the main ingredient
The broad term yam covers more than one mixed salad. As a concrete example, Thailand Foundation's winged-bean yam recipe includes winged beans, pork, shrimp, egg, fish sauce and other seasonings. It is an example, not the standard for all yam. A menu should say “winged-bean salad” or name another actual main ingredient, then identify the protein and notable additions in that shop's version.
Larb is not a vegetable side salad
The Foundation's Isan overview describes larb as a meat salad with toasted rice powder in one regional example. Other versions and seasonings vary. If a menu offers chicken, pork or another protein, those choices need separate names or clear options. See our larb guide for the regional question. Do not use a picture of a vegetable salad to represent a meat dish.
Heat and dietary labels belong to the actual recipe
None of these names promises one fixed chilli level or dietary suitability. Ask whether chilli is already mixed in and what the kitchen can change. Fish sauce, fermented fish, shrimp, nuts, egg or prepared sauces may matter to different diners, depending on the dish. For an allergy or strict restriction, staff should verify the current recipe, labels and preparation instead of treating the word “salad” as a safety claim.
A better three-language menu structure
Keep the Thai name, then add the main ingredient, protein, dressing or fermented component, actual heat level and included sides. Price and photo should match that version. If the kitchen makes multiple som tam or yam varieties, give each a distinct listing rather than burying all options under one generic “Thai salad” card. Update Thai, English and Chinese together whenever a dressing changes.