I learned something important today.
If you go into an area where you have to wear a surgical mask (the BSL-3 for me) don’t eat Thai food.
Thai food tastes so good going down, and smells delicious. However when you’re wearing a surgical mask for an hour (or even part of an hour)…
Also considering one of the other BSL-3 labs set off a formaldehyde bomb recently all I can smell (and still smell) is Thai food and formaldehyde…
Ugh
Right now I’m imagining myself wearing a surgical mask.
And belching the remainder of a chicken satay (with peanut sauce) and curried rice meal.
Oh, the humanity!
Satay is more of an Indonesian/Malaysian thing that’s crept up into Thailand. My wife told me you can get monkey satay in Kuala Lumpur, although I can’t verify this.
Now imagine burping satay ling and gaeng kheo wan inside a surgical mask. Blecch!
Boy, that’d make you want to quote something from Blue Velvet.
Shibb Olet, now throw in the smell of formaledhyde on top of that…
This is worse than the onion ring incident!
I’m thinking you chose to work in a field which requires formaldehyde, you gotta live with it. The worst thing that happens here is that if the gang from work decides to go to the mall for lunch, then I can’t resist the Chicken Philly with onions and teriyaki sauce. And I can never get the smell of that damned stuff off of my hands, no matter how hard I scrub.
I sure wish I knew what lieu was talking about.
'Cause it’d probably be funny.
I would suggest that only helps to preserve the memory of your excellent meal. 
I don’t see why a surgical mask should matter - Thai medical personnel have no problems (AFAIK). Though I can’t imagine formaldehyde enhancing what must be one of the most amazing cuisines on the planet.
EG (can’t resist): http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/recipes-thaisalad.html
nothings worse than eating amusement park food then hanging in the baboon cages for an hour while trying to get all their poo off the floor. thats the worse thing.
ever.
don’t doubt me.