Phuket Weekend Market - food

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Phuket Weekend Market is certainly an attraction if you are visiting Phuket and it is also popular with the local people - there is sooooo much food to be had - we have visited a number of times.... 

ever what happened to these vehicles?

The market is effectively a football field which is divided into 2 halves and 50% of it sells food! The local Thai people come here for the wide selection of dishes and the fact that it is so big. So please bear in mind that the dishes are not cooked for the tourist but for the Thai people.

The market opens at approximately 4pm and finishes at approximately 10pm but this is never exact. There are a plethora of different types of items to find in the ever increasing number of stalls that each time we go I find something different!

If it rains then you may well get wet because half of the market is standing on the football field. Pushing a pram or the suchlike is very difficult because of the quality of the floor and the fact that the 'corridors' can be so tight...

There are toilets there which you can use  but remember to go there with some loose change with you - the last time we went I believe that the cost of this was 5 Baht.

So what foods do they have in half a football field?

Bits of animals that I cannot be sure of...

The cakes look delicious.

The chips are scrumptious - see if you can find them making the curly fries, it is a very clever machine...

Then there are the fish cakes - to nibble whilst wandering about.

If you really are in need for a kebab I was surprised that I found one here.

Not sure what a 'fish strip is' though...

Then it was time for an egg.

We then chose to sit down at one of the many tables and we had fish baked in sea salt (something worth trying whilst in Thailand).

Then you must have a herbed sausage whilst you are sitting here.

Then it was time for a pudding - we tried this Japanese ice-cream - certainly very different (not that I would have it again personally).

There are more that we did not try which I was surprised about - Japanese food and a lot of different stalls.

Then the strange bread and butter...

I suggest that you go hungry to the Weekend Market because it is a lot of fun trying all these different dishes. More about the Weekend Market will be written but older postings are below.

Previous posts

 1) An overview - March 2013

 2) Personal Aggression - October 2015

 3) Food - January 2013

 4) Clothes and Shoes - December 2013

 5) The Beatles and The Rolling Stones - July 2013

 6) Eating Bugs - January 2013

 7) Personal Beauty - December 2012

 8) Eating more Bugs - September 2013

   

Sea Gypsy Cultural Centre - Koh Sirey (2016)

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So what has happened here since my last post in 2012?

Nothing...

Alex Face Mural (B4 end of May)

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Surprised to read this today

The mural was completed on Saturday Apr 9, and following its completion, local residents took to social media to either severely criticise or praise the design. (See story here.)

In attendance at today’s meeting, held at 10am, were Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana, local media, residents, government officials and Wirachai Pranveerapaibool, leader of the “So Phuket” group who were part responsible for the mural being painted.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr Wirachai said, “Following the first meeting held last week, I have decided to ask Pattcharapon ‘Alex Face’ Tangreun to paint over his mural on the side of the old Standard Chartered Bank Building.

“Mr Pattcharapon will paint over the mural himself between May 5-15,” he said.

“I understand that there are several opinions about the mural and about art in general,” he added.

Mr Wirachai went on to say that the mural on the old Standard Chartered Bank building is part of a collection of 12 murals being painted on various buildings around Phuket Town and that the project will continue until all 12 are complete.

“This project will go on until all 12 paintings are finished. Only four – including the one on the old Standard Chartered Bank – have been finished so far. Once all 12 are complete the artists will speak more about the project. This should be in October,” he said.

Story from the Phuket News

This was painted on the side of a historic building in Phuket Town - adjacent to the Standard Chartered Bank...

Kissing a snake

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I hope you have read about my blog post and the man with a pet python?

Then the python left him...

But looking at this video I guess you shouldn't play or kiss a snake...

I guess you should think twice...

DO NOT go to the Dolphin Prison

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(image from the Phuket Gazette)

There are dolphins in Phuket in the wild if you must see a dolphin.
Contact John Gray Sea Canoe for information 
OR
this was near Maiton Island on a trip with him.

Sea Gypsy Centre - Koh Sirey - an Update?

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Update: This was a June 2013 Newspaper Report

After a wonderful trip to Wat Koh Sirey we decided to drive around the island - we were under the impression that there was a superb Seafood restaurant close by...

We did not find it and ended up at The Westin Hotel for pizza.

But what we did find was this building. The official title to this collection of buildings is 

"The Cultural Center Sea Gypsy of Banlaemtukkae"

Interesting but it was empty (the picture above was opposite)... on returning home I searched for some information

It is to open later this year...

Will open this year...

but I am sorry to say this was our visit in May 2012

View tim in phuket - Koh Sirey in a larger map

Sea Walking = Sea Destruction

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images from Phuket Marine Biological Station (PMBC)

Never having done this - I can only copy and paste a recent article from the Phuket Gazette.

PHUKET: About 200 square meters of coral have been damaged off Khai Nai island in Phang Nga, say local marine officials, in order to create a pathway for tourists to walk on the sea floor.

images from Phuket Marine Biological Station (PMBC)

The manager of the seawalking company at the site, however, has defended his business, telling the Phuket Gazette it is environmentally friendly and had not damaged any coral.
Seawalking – walking on the sea floor while wearing a helmet supplied with oxygen from a boat above – was banned in local areas from 2007 until the law forbidding it lapsed last year.
Phuket marine officials, after learning of the damaged coral from locals, dived at the site on the east side of Khai Nai island on March 22. The group included staff from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) and Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC).
“We found over 200 square meters of medium-quality corals had been destroyed,” said Dr Nalinee Thongtam, senior marine specialist at the PMBC.

“Coral reef had been cut to create a flat walkway,” she said.

Dr Nalinee photographed a metal railing set in the pathway for tourists to hold on to at the now-cleared site.

The cut coral was piled on top of living coral, protected sea clams had been relocated, and the support boat was anchored by rope to coral, said Dr Nalinee, who has detailed illustrations of the site.

“A total area of about 300 square meters of coral was affected, and at least two laws were broken,” she said.

It is illegal to destroy coral and the metal bar and roped coral contravene marine regulations that do not allow fishing areas to be altered, she said.

Dr Nalinee and her colleagues reported the damage to police at Koh Yao Noi island, but were told that police could not take action unless they witnessed the destruction in progress.

About 10 days later, on April 3, Dr Nalinee sent one of her staff to check on the coral. He reported back that it was starting to die, and took photographs of seawalking already in progress.

“Some of the damaged coral still has the potential to grow back again with the right treatment,” Dr Nalinee said.

“It is now very important for the all governmental organizations to cooperate and fix the damage,” she added.

Dr Nalinee told the Gazette that the case has been reported to her superiors at the PMBC, to the DMCR, to the Phuket Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment, and to the governors of both Phuket and Phang Nga.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Inspector-General has reported the issue to the Chief Executive of that Ministry.

A beleaguered Somporn Teerin, the manager of J & J Marine, the seawalking company at the site Dr Nalinee visited, told the Gazette he had received complaints from all sides and asked for the chance to explain himself.

“Eco-tourism is what we call our seawalking package,” he said.

“No coral was destroyed. The coral that we removed had been dead for three or four years years already. The walkway where we put the metal bars is a natural coral-freewater channel,” he said.

Mr Somporn took exception to the claim that 200 square meters of coral had been disrupted.

“The metal bar is only one inch thick and six meters long, so it is irrational to claim that we are the reason that 200 square meters of coral are destroyed,” he said.

As for the boat being anchored by rope to coral, Mr Somporn said he was told by experts this was safe for coral.

“Corals around the island are being destroyed by divers and anchors from boats. I consulted with specialists who told me that wrapping ropes underneath coral is safe for them,” he said.

Mr Somporn also said he had consulted with local leaders before starting his business.

“This will be beneficial for the locals as well; we will be providing employment for them,” he said.

Mr Somporn said that he is expecting to start the first seawalking tour this week after documents filed with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have been completed.

When asked by the Gazette about the seawalking already in progress witnessed by Dr Nalinee’s officer, Mr Somporn said he wasn’t sure what was going on. “It must have been a safety drill,” he said.

Press were invited to visit the seawalking site on March 29, along with Dr Korn Sirinam, Parliament’s Adviser to the Committee of Land, Forest and Law Enforcement.

At that time, Mr Somporn said that sea animals would not be interfered with or harmed because experts would set up environmental safety standards and tourists would have to agree to abide by them.

Dr Korn said, “We went seawalking for 30 minutes, and I saw that no harm had been done to the sea ecosystem because the area is small, approximately 10 square meters. There is also a sand walkway for tourists to walk along and observe corals and sea animals,” he said.

“I confirm that seawalking should have no impact on the underwater ecosystem, but I also suggest that the agencies should be strict with the rules and take-care of long-term consequences. They have to follow legal regulations in every step they take,” he concluded.

Additional reporting by Kritsada Mueanhawong.

Bungy Jumping

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I wonder why this video is unavailable?

Okay now this is something that you may want to try but in Phuket?

Have a look at this Newspaper Article from the United Kingdom.

BUT there are a number of places that you can visit and people will arrange this for you - i would rather play with Jemma's Lego and a plethora of other things...

But if you must - Jungle Bungy and Phuket Bungy 

Which one had the accident?

A red flag means DO NOT SWIM

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I am sorry to my many readers looking for things to do but as I read that the Phuket Government indicated this week that they were going to print out the warning in 7 different languages for not swimming in the sea when there is a red flag. I thought I would do my bit.

Phuket Gateway

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Phuket Gateway was pointed out by me when I returned for a couple of days away from home with my family.

So what is Phuket Gateway?

"On the occasion of King Bhumibol’s 80th Birthday Anniversary in 2007, the Phuket Gateway was established on 10 acres of land in Thalang District to be the first stop to welcome tourists who arrive on the Island by crossing Thao Thep Krasattri Bridge. Its outstanding feature is the alignment of 29 sculptural pillars. The number of pillars comes from the auspicious numbers 2 and 9, which respectively represent the two heroines in the war with Burma in 1785, Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Sri Sunthon and the 9th king of the Chakkri Dynasty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej."

Text above from Thaiways

it was supposed to be a welcoming gesture to the many thousands of road visitors to Phuket BUT it never did quite work.

Here are some articles regarding it's status

Jamie's - 2009

Phuket Wan - 2012

4-arch - 2010

Phuket Index - 2010

what I found strange was the lack of new references, do i need to change my search engine?

Hiring a Jet Ski

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Okay I hired a jet ski 20 years ago and it was a lot of fun BUT it is now 2012 and I do not hear a lot of positive views about it.

Tripadvisor has a lot of stories about this:

Phuket Forum: Another Jet Ski warning - Patong Beach

Thailand Forum: Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand

Phuket Forum: Jetski Saga... Phuket Gazette Article

Phuket Forum: Jet Ski scamming continues

Phuket Gazette has more:

Tuk-tuks, jet-skis top complaints by Aussie tourist in Phuket

Phuket tourist forced to pay 180,000 baht in jet-ski repairs

and more

Please think whether it is really worth it...

But the jet skiers did go and help the stranded in Thailand...

Phuket Zoo?

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UPDATE: Phuket Zoo is known as a organizer of the

 'SOUVENIR PHOTOGRAPH INDUSTRY' to the WWF 

but sadly little is happening......

The Phuket Zoo is in the South of Phuket near Chalong off the Chaofah Rd.

On entering there is evidence of the surroundings not being taken care – peeling posters, cracked statues and shops with very old items on sale.

We walked swiftly in and headed towards the birds – well I have to admit this was a shock. An eagle in a cage that meant that it was unable to spread their wings and a hornbill without enough room to fly.  Then the birds of prey that you could have you photo with (150 Baht) – also the birds were dangerous - as indicated by the staff, whilst they ate lunch.

Then there was a miniature aviary with some birds in – and local pigeons.  There was a small river with a lot of fish in which made it a pleasant environment.

Then we saw pools of water that had fish?  There were no signs of what fish and the water was too dark.

Then the upside down bored orangutan – do you want a photo?

Then the monkey show.

Then there were gibbons that should not be in cages………. visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Park.

Then there were crocodiles in dirty water without enough room to swim.Then the scary crocodile show.  I have been told that the crocodiles are given a dose or drugs to keep their mouths open. Have you met the member of staff who had his arm bitten off? How about youtube of the show? There is some Phuket Zoo youtube.

After this was the lowlight – have your photograph with a tiger?  Anyone who believes that this tiger is comfortable and not drugged needs to be educated or believes “The Tiger who came to Tea”.

There is also apparently an elephant show, an aquarium and an orchid garden. How does this change? It all comes back to Education – again.

The Price is 500 Baht for adults and 300 Baht for children.

Jamie in Phuket blog has a comment.

Virtual Tourist has some comments.

TripAdvisor reviews it - it is ranked as the worst attraction in Phuket.

Change.org is an opportunity to speak - I did.

There is the T.S.P.C.A but no R.S.P.C.A in Thailand but please contact them to offer support and post your comments for others to read.

I would NOT GO AGAIN – but I know my daughter would love to go……. But next time I will pay less – I need my Thai Driving Licence or work permit. I have made a comment here and please share your experiences with each other.