The shellfish resources in Thailand can be categorized into two main types: (i) species harvested from natural grounds; and (ii) species harvested from natural grounds and also produced through culture.
To the first belong the short-necked clam or hoi lai (Paphia undulata) (Fig. 10); hoi pin (Pholas orientalis); window-pane shell or hoi chalab (Placuna placenta); top shell or hoi nom sab (Trochus sp.); turban shell or hoi ood (Turbo sp.); jackknife clam or hoi siab (Donax sp.) and many others.
To the second or cultivable group belong the green mussel or hoi maeng pu (Fig. 11); horse mussel or hoi kapong (Fig. 14); oyster or hoi nang rom (Fig. 16); cockle or hoi kraeng (Fig. 15); and pearl shell or hoi muk (Pinctada spp.).
A third category may be listed, namely, those species that have potential for culture but are presently not used for cultivation. These include the short-necked clam (hoi lai) and the window-pane shell (hoi chalab)
A list of the more common species with their corresponding common Thai and English names are given below.
I. Species exploited from natural grounds and also used for culture:
| Species | Thai name | English name | |
| a. | Mytilus smaragdinus | hoy maeng-pu | green mussel, sea mussel |
| b. | Modiolus senhausenii | hoy kapong | horse mussel |
| c. | Anadara granosa | hoy kraeng | ark shell, cockle |
| d. | Crassostrea commercialis | hoy nang-rom | oyster |
| e. | Crassostrea lugubris | hoy ta-krom | oyster |
| f. | Crassostrea belcheri | hoy ta-krom | oyster |
| g. | Pinctada maxima | hoy muk-jan | gold-lipped pearl oyster |
| h. | Pinctada margaritifera | hoy-kala-pang-ha | black-lipped pearl oyster |
II. Species obtained from natural grounds only:
| Species | Thai name | English name | |
| a. | Paphia undulata | hoi lai | carpet shell or short-necked clam |
| b. | Pholas australiasiae | hoy-leb-mue | piddock |
| c. | Pholas orientalis | hoy pim | piddock |
| d. | Pholas siamensis | hoy pim | piddock |
| e. | Solen abbreviatus | hoy meed-koan | razor clam |
| f. | Ensis malaccensis | hoy-meed-koan | jackknife clam |
| g. | Mactra reevei | hoy ta-lab | surf clam |
| h. | Mactra antiguata | hoy ta-lab | surf clam |
| i. | Mactra dissimilis | hoy khoaw | surf clam |
| j. | Donax faba | hoy seub | wedge shell |
| k. | Placuna placenta | hoi chalab | window-pane oyster |
| l. | Trochus sp. | hoi nom sab | top shell |
| m. | Turbo sp. | hoi ood | turban shell |
Undoubtedly, there are many other species of economic importance that may be present in Thailand. An inventory of such species, their uses and potentials can be useful. In this paper, emphasis will be made on the economic species that are mainly cultured for use as human food as well as those that have potential for culture purposes. No further discussion will be made on shellfish, such as the pearl shell which is not a source of food but utilized mainly as a source of the precious pearl and ornamental shells of commerce, such as the top shell and the turban shell which are exploited for their shells.
