Angela Killian

Outside markets can be found all over the world, but every country offers a different local twist. The markets in Thailand are my second favorite after Japan.

There are markets all over Phuket every day of the week. They typically take place at temples, mosques or in fields allocated for this purpose. I frequent the Nai Yang Beach market, which takes place just across from the temple in a field.

Markets specialize in different offerings from cooked foods, fresh produce, raw meat, fresh seafood, sushi, sweets, clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, sunglasses, electronics, housewares, etc. You can find pretty much anything at the markets.

Typically there will be a “local price” and a “farang price”. “Farang” is what Thai people call everyone who is not from Thailand, especially non-Asian tourists.

Food & Drink

Most prepared or fresh foods are one set price. Sometimes it’s posted and sometimes the vendor will tell you or show you on a calculator if they don’t speak English. Bargaining down to a “local price” usually isn’t an option for food and drink items.

Food Safety

When I arrived in Thailand 3 years ago, a friend advised me to wait a couple of months before eating off the street vendor carts. ”After a couple of months, your body adjusts to the local bacteria and you’re less likely to get sick” he told me. To this day I have never had any kind of food poisoning, aside from a few spicy food related tummy troubles.

Use common sense. If the food is being prepared / fried in front of you, it’s probably okay to eat. If it’s been sitting out in the sun and has flies all over it, it’s probably not “farang friendly”, although you will see many locals eating any and everything from the vendor carts.

I never buy raw meat or seafood from the market for obvious reasons – lack of refrigeration, no expiry date and other sanitary issues.

You can find a variety of excellent local produce. I prefer to buy the whole vegetable or fruit instead of the pre-cut variety for sanitary reasons.

Drink

There are usually coolers full of cold beverages including beer, sodas and water. Sometimes there are even cocktail stands. Yes, you can drink alcohol anywhere in Thailand, but it is illegal to drink while driving a vehicle. However,  there is no problem with buying a beer at 7-11 and walking around on the street. In case you’re wondering, you can really drink orange Fanta out of a bag too. Be careful of anything prepared with ice.

 Electronics

Many tourists flock to markets to buy cheap “knock-offs”. I must admit that some of the handbags, wallets and watches are very good replicas, but when it comes to electronics you should skip the knock-offs and go for quality. When in a cloud of consumerism, I no doubt fall prey to the cheap, real looking Beats by Dre headphones like everyone else. I have purchased numerous speakers and headphones. They are all shit and will inevitably break after a few uses. That is, if you can even get it to function that many times.

Make-Up

There’s also a plethora of fake high end make-up along with Thai brands. Some of the high end make-up is real, but possibly expired and a lot of it is obviously fake.

Clothing & Shoes

Sports jerseys are a popular item at many markets. There’s also a variety of other cheaply made garments and shoes including underwear, bras, dresses, swim suits, socks, blouses, etc. If you are petite and / or short, consider yourself in lucky. Most clothing items at Thai markets are made to fit the Thai body type, which is petite. I am 5’9 and slim so many items fit, but dresses tend to be a bit short. When in doubt, the booth will probably allow you to try some items on. “You can try”, they will assure you.

Summary

Typically markets begin in the afternoon due to the hot weather and finish in the evening. Going to the market with a friend can be a great experience. Nothing is better than shopping for cheap goods with a cocktail in hand.