My final recommendations
For most people, I recommend choosing one of the top 2: Mae Ploy and Aroy-D. Maeploy is preferable if available, but Aroy-D was also good. You can also add your shrimp paste to Aroy-D for that extra umami.
If you are vegan or allergic to shrimp, then Aroy-D or Maesri would be two great options. But always check the ingredient list because it is common for there to be multiple formulas of the same Thai product on the market.
Important notes on the packaging: Over the years I have seen the same brand come out with different packaging for the same product. For example, I’ve seen photos of Aroy-D in cans à la Maesri. You should not assume that the product inside is the same if the packaging is different!
Different types of packaging may also require the food inside to be processed differently, and sometimes moisture content, acidity and other factors must vary due to different processing requirements. Sometimes companies adopt different formulas for different markets, for example domestic market or export market.
