Thailand grows dozens of mango varieties — different seasons, flavours and uses for each.
The gold standard dessert mango — long, golden, intensely sweet with no fibre; the one used in mango sticky rice; season March–May.
Distinctively two-toned green and red skin; sweet-tart balance; earlier season than Nam Dok Mai; increasingly popular export variety.
Green when ripe; crunchy like an apple; eaten with sweet-chilli-salt dip as a savoury snack rather than dessert; available throughout the year.
Firm, sour, sometimes eaten as a snack with salt and sugar-chilli; also used shredded in salads similar to green papaya.
Or Tor Kor Market has the best selection; push carts sell pre-cut portions; peak mango season April–June offers best prices.
Mangoes are available year-round thanks to staggered regional harvests and imports, though prices rise and quality dips outside the April–June peak — locals wait for peak season for good reason.
Only the ripest, sweetest varieties (Nam Dok Mai above all) are used for mango sticky rice — a firmer or unripe mango simply won't give the right texture or sweetness balance.