Markets In Hat Yai
Introduction
Markets are an important part of everyday life in Thailand. Hat Yai - just like everywhere else in Thailand - has many markets and they fulfil different purposes.
For many Thais the local fresh markets are where meat, fruit and vegetables are bought for home use and also for restaurant businesses. The equivalent produce sold at Western style supermarkets is more expensive. Likewise, markets selling cheap or second-hand clothes and shoes make essential items affordable for many lower income Thais. These markets serve a very real and very practical purpose.
In addition, markets also serve a recreational purpose both for locals and tourists. Although the goods on sale at some markets may not be essential, local people and visiting tourists alike enjoy strolling around looking for bargains and interesting items.
Thailand is famous for its floating markets and to satisfy the demand from tourists several floating markets have appeared in recent years. There is nothing 'traditional' about these places, but spending a few hours at one of the floating markets can be an enjoyable experience.
Hat Yai is regarded as quite a large city in provincial Thailand, but like all provincial cities in Thailand it is dwarfed by Bangkok. Some of the markets bear similarities to markets in Bangkok, but they are on a much smaller scale.
When I started this guide I wasn't sure whether to include markets in the section for shopping, activities or food. I have now decided to list them separately in their own section.
Some of the markets listed below are outside of Hat Yai. If you are only in Hat Yai for a short time there are plenty of markets in town to keep you busy. However, if you have more time you might want to explore a little further afield.
Thai: ตลาดน้ำบ้านพรุ
Latitude: N 06° 55' 28.5" (N 06° 55.475')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 23.5" (E 100° 27.391')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Update February 2019: I visited Baan Pru floating market in February 2019 after not having been for several months. It had changed dramatically.
The first thing I noticed was the car park. When I first went it was impossible to find a parking space, but on this latest visit there were only about 30 cars in the entire car park. Roughly half of the market is now closed and vendors no longer sell food from boats. It is still called a 'floating market', but now nothing floats.
I found it all very sad because when the market first opened it was well attended and vibrant. There are now very few people and a lot of the vendors have left.
As a local resident I only visit floating markets two or three times a year and I guess this is typical for most people. Going every week would become very boring.
These type of attractions are driven by tourists and most Malaysian tourists visit the Klong Hair floating market. Whenever I go to Klong Hair I see lots of Malaysian tour buses, but there were only a few Malaysian tourists at Baan Pru.
My comments below refer to previous visits, but please be aware that there have been big changes. When Baan Pru first opened I preferred it to Klong Hair, but Baan Pru is now so deserted that if you want to visit a floating market in Hat Yai I would probably recommend visiting Klong Hair.
Comments: When I first arrived in Hat Yai in 2003 there were no floating markets. In 2008, a floating market opened at Klong Hair temple and it proved to be very popular with tourists who were getting fed up with the limited variety of activities in Hat Yai, namely, shopping, eating and massages.
What followed though was a bit of a joke. In an attempt to get the tourist dollars, markets were springing up in every location where there was a drop of water and being labelled as floating markets. Some places didn't even have water, so water was added.
Floating markets are one of the biggest tourist cliches in Thailand and all visitors want to visit an "authentic Thai floating market" despite the fact there isn't an authentic floating market in the country. They are simply tourist attractions.
I thus raised a very cynical eyebrow when, in February 2016, I saw signs appear for yet another floating market at Baan Pru. Hat Yai is a district in Songkhla province and Baan Pru is a subdistrict in Hat Yai. It can be approached from the airport road or from the road that runs from Hat Yai to Sadao and onward to the Malaysian border.
Despite my cynicism, I took my family along to have a look and I was very pleasantly surprised.
The problem with most new attractions in Hat Yai is that there has been insufficient investment. It's as if the owner isn't sure whether it will be a success or not, so is reluctant to spend any money. The result is a shoddy attraction and, sure enough, people don't go.
This new floating market isn't like that. It occupies quite a lot of land and there is a large body of water present. The new buildings have been built well and obviously there has been quite a large investment. In addition to the usual shops and food stalls, there are quite a lot of activities for children. This is great for me because I have two young children.
There is a zipline, pony rides, trampolines, a bouncy castle, games, and a pen where children can feed goats and sheep. In contrast, the children's rides and bouncy castle at Klong Hair floating market look as if they come from a scrap heap and are quite embarrassing. If you have young children, the floating market at Baan Pru is a much better option than Klong Hair.
I went just after the market opened and I think I was there with half the population of Hat Yai. Parking was difficult and there were so many people it felt claustrophobic. On my second visit it was still very busy, but a lot more comfortable. There were a lot more vendors selling food near the water and the food centre wasn't as packed.
On my first visit I was told that the market was open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but food was only available on Saturdays. This seemed very strange. However, on my second visit I was told the market is only open on Saturdays. The market opens from around 4pm to 9:30pm.
In March 2018 I found out that the market is now open on Friday and Saturday evenings. This new arrangement started on 16th February 2018. I also noticed a new toilet block and was very pleasantly surprised to find that the toilets are very clean. Public toilets are often filthy in Thailand.
Entrance is free and prices are reasonable. Food vendors are barred from selling any food that costs more than Bt50. I would recommend Baan Pru floating market over Klong Hair floating market.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดกิมหยงหาดใหญ่
Latitude: N 07° 00' 33.0" (N 07° 00.549')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 39.6" (E 100° 27.660')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Address: Junction of Phetkasem and Supasarnrangsan roads
Map: Map 1
Comments: Often transliterated to Kim Yong, Gim Yong is your quintessential traditional Thai market. It is the closest authentic Thai street market to central Hat Yai and it is within easy walking distance of Lee Gardens Plaza. Part of it is on the street and part of it is housed indoors on two floors. Many of the market traders are Muslim.
You will find clothes, ready cooked food, tinned and dried food, fruit, hot chestnuts, groceries, toiletries, cheap electronics, children's toys, watches, umbrellas and household items. There is also a wet market inside that sells meat and fish.
It's a busy place that is fun to walk around if you haven't seen this kind of thing before. The fruit stalls outside have prices displayed and the food stalls have fixed prices. You can try to haggle, but don't expect to win. The vendors inside operate a price-fixing cartel and aren't normally interested in haggling.
The market building itself consists of two floors. The ground floor is full of small stalls selling household goods, watches, electronic goods, fabrics, fresh meat, nuts, dates, and lots of cheap packaged food from Malaysia. This is all brought into the country without paying any duty and therefore prices tend to be cheaper than legal retail outlets.
The stalls are connected together by a rabbit-warren-like series of small passageways. It is quite frenetic most of the time with shoppers and stall holders trying to make their way around. Expect to be barged around a bit, and wherever you stop to look at something expect to hear, "Ao arai ja?" (what do you want?) from one of the female stall holders.
Prices don't tend to be displayed, but the shopkeepers and regular shoppers know what the prices should be. When tourists show up who obviously aren't familiar with their surroundings, expect the first price given to be vastly inflated.
This is completely normal for Thailand. The objective of the shopkeepeer isn't to build a relationship with customers; it is to make the maximum profit from each sale. This is how retail in Thailand works. In order to make the most profit, lying and deceit are commonplace.
If you aren't sure what something should cost, ask around. What you will find is that all the stalls sell the same items. It isn't unusual to find that one shopkeeper is quoting twice as much for exactly the same thing.
The second floor at Gim Yong is quite different to the ground floor. It is home to a few clothes shops - the one I am thinking of sells a lot of second-hand, cowboy-themed leather clothes, shoes and accessories.
Most of the stuff for sale on the second floor of Gim Yong is cheap Chinese electronic junk. There is a lot of stuff for sale but I can almost guarantee that you will never have heard of any of the brand names. If you fancy a 'Fanny' hi-fi system (I'm being serious), this is the place to go.
There are also a few watch shops upstairs selling genuine watches. You may not get a comprehensive guarantee, but you might be able to find a bargain timepiece.
The secret to shopping at Gim Yong is working out what is rubbish and what isn't. For example, if I wanted to buy a radio I would never buy a cheap Chinese brand I'd never heard of.
However, a lot of the food and other stuff is exactly the same as elsewhere - including the big department stores and supermarkets - except it is a lot cheaper. Most food, toiletries and household cleaning products, etc, sold at Gim Yong come from Malaysia.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดกรีนเวย์หาดใหญ่
Latitude: N 06° 59' 49.4" (N 06° 59.823')
Longitude: E 100° 29' 05.4" (E 100° 29.091')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: The sign at Greenway market (Map 4) decribes it (in English) as a 'Flea Market'. My dictionary defines this as 'a usually open market selling secondhand articles and antiques' so I guess that is just about correct.
There are lots of secondhand articles ranging from shoes, bags and clothes to magazines, toys and old office equipment. You can also find new goods and handicrafts (such as hand-made photo frames and postcards, etc.), food, and a few services such as getting photos taken and printed.
It runs at the same time - Thursday to Sunday evenings - and is close to the night market near the bus station so walking between the two markets is very easy. The combination of these two markets is the closest you will get in Hat Yai to Jatujak in Bangkok or Camden in London but on a much smaller scale with much less choice.
From central Hat Yai you can get there by catching any sawng-thaew that goes to the bus station (kon-song). As you go along Karnchanawanich Road (map spelling) you will see Greenway on the right before the sawng-thaew turns right to go to the bus station and that's when you need to ring the bell to tell the driver to stop.
As is always the case, it helps to be able to read (or at least to speak) a little Thai but if not you will find the locals very helpful. The market is known by the English name 'Greenway' which makes things easy but just remember to pronounce the second syllable in a high tone, as Thais tend to do when pronouncing English words.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดน้ำหาดใหญ่
Latitude: N 07° 00' 25.7" (N 07° 00.429')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 10.2" (E 100° 27.170')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: When Klong Hair floating market first opened it was quite novel for this area. There are well-known floating markets in Bangkok, but there were none around Hat Yai, thus it was very successful.
The problem in Thailand when any business venture is successful is that everyone else then does exactly the same thing. Since I've lived in Thailand I've seen the same phenomenon with hair extension shops, amulet shops, bicycle shops and coffee shops, etc.
One business opens and is successful. The next thing you know, lots of other people start exactly the same kind of business. The market becomes absolutely saturated and there simply aren't enough customers, which results in many of these businesses closing down.
All Thais want to have their own successful business, but very few have any business acumen and they can't think for themselves. They simply follow others all the time. If you want to succeed you need to be a leader, not a follower.
After Klong Hair floating market opened so many floating markets started to open elsewhere that it became something of a joke. Many weren't successful and have since closed. The one in Khao Chaison closed and so did this one.
The one at Baan Pru survived, but it is a lot smaller now than when it first opened.
Thai: ตลาดสดหาดใหญ่
Latitude: N 07° 00' 36.7.5" (N 07° 00.611')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 58.8" (E 100° 27.980')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: The fresh market (Map 1) shouldn't be missed. It's a real piece of authentic Thailand and a stark contrast to Lee Gardens Plaza. If Lee Gardens Plaza is first world Thailand then the fresh market is definitely third world Thailand.
It's not for the squeamish though. A smell hangs in the air that I have only ever smelt at Thai fresh markets and some of the sights are quite gut churning. Pigs' heads, internal organs and intestines lie out in the open covered with flies alongside dead chickens and ducks. None of the meat is refrigerated or covered.
Most of the fish and shellfish aren't alive but air-breathing catfish squirm around in buckets until they are unceremoniously put on a wooden board to have their heads chopped off.
Old women sit on the pavement selling fruit, meat and fish. The atmosphere is quite frenetic and on very hot days the sights and smells can be overwhelming. The market is best visited in the early morning.
The fresh market sprawls along Rattakarn and Montri roads, going back as far as the railway track.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดหาดใหญ่ใน
Latitude: N 06° 59' 54.1" (N 06° 59.901')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 04.1" (E 100° 27.068')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Whereas most markets have things that might be of interest to tourists, this one doesn't. Part of it consists of a fresh market where you can buy meat, vegetables and fruit.
There are also some hardware shops where you can buy things for your home. At this market I have bought rat traps and a mortar and pestle.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดนัดหาดใหญ่ใน
Latitude: N 06° 59' 54.1" (N 06° 59.901')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 04.1" (E 100° 27.068')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: There is a typical Thai street market held in Hat Yai Nai every Sunday. It is similar to the Sunday market in Songkhla but not as big and not as good. However, for people living in Hat Yai it is more convenient.
Hat Yai Nai is the area across the railway bridge from central Hat Yai and plenty of sawng-thaews go that way so it isn't a problem getting there.
For newbie visitors to Thailand these things are a lot of fun but after 500 visits to Thai markets they tend to get a little boring. On sale are clothes, food, fruit and handicrafts, etc. As at Suntisuk market, there is an extensive selection of dangerous weapons. It's frightening what can be bought in Thailand.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดน้ำเขาชัยสน
Latitude: N 07° 27' 29.7" (N 07° 27.495')
Longitude: E 100° 07' 45.7" (E 100° 07.762')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Thais are desperate to be successful in business, but unfortunately most don't have a lot of imagination. They understand that foreigners are attracted to floating markets in Thailand and a few years ago floating markets began to appear everywhere. There were simply too many for all of them to be successful.
In some places, including Khaichaison, there wasn't even any water but this didn't deter the local municipality from opening a floating market. They simply dug a hole in the ground and added some water. I went shortly after it opened in 2013. There wasn't much there, but the area is beautiful - much more scenic than most other floating markets.
I didn't go back for a long time afterwards, but when I returned in April 2017 I found that the market was closed. A local told me it was being renovated, but wasn't sure when it would reopen.
In July 2018 I went for a foot massage in Hat Yai and the masseuse was a young girl from Khaochaison. We spoke about various things, including the floating market, and she told me it had closed permanently.
The Khaochaison area, attractive as it is, doesn't attract a lot of tourists and the locals must have become bored with the floating market because they stopped going. Without any business, it was forced to close.
There are floating markets near to where I live, but they aren't the kind of places that you visit every week. I go with my family maybe twice a year. Really, they are only for tourists and without tourists they cease to exist.
Thai: ตลาดน้ำคลองแห
Latitude: N 07° 02' 41.6" (N 07° 02.693')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 30.5" (E 100° 28.509')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: The photo on the left shows the Thai spelling. If you can't read Thai, the pronunciation is something along the lines of 'dta-laat naam klong-hair'.
After opening in 2008 the market started off as a really enjoyable experience and I was quite impressed. However, in no time at all it had just become another standard Hat Yai tourist attraction and then it was no more fun.
If friends or family came to visit I would take them along to see a Thai floating market, but I wasn't impressed. On one visit with a friend from the States we took a boat ride around the canal and the water was full of rubbish.
After that I didn't visit for at least three years.
When I did eventually return at the end of 2015 it looked a lot better. The rubbish had been removed from the canal and the market looked as if there had been some financial investment to clean it up.
Vendors sell food from permanently moored boats. To pass food to customers, and to receive money, the vendors use little baskets on sticks. The market runs Friday to Sunday from around 3pm to 9pm.
There is no entrance fee, the food is good, all the food seems to cost Bt20 per portion, some of the drinks are served in cups made from real bamboo, and there is no dual-pricing system in place. All these things are good.
Getting there can be slightly problematic if you are travelling independently without a vehicle because there are no sawng-thaews or buses. However, it's not too far from central Hat Yai and easily reached by tuk-tuk or motorbike taxi. Most Malaysian and Singaporean tourists travel in large groups and go to the market in large buses.
If you have your own vehicle, it's not difficult to get to. Head down Niphat Songkhrao 5 Road (Map 2) for a couple of kms and you will come to a fork in the road. Take the right fork, follow the road and you will come to the market on your left. Just follow the crowds of people.
If you've never been, it's worth a visit. However, if you've been once and then go back subsequently it's not going to be very exciting.
The market is open from Thursday to Sunday and it gets going at about 4pm. By 6pm it is quite busy and I think it closes at around 9pm.
If you visit Klong Hair floating market you should definitely make a point of visiting the Burmese Pagoda, which is a replica of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon. It is located just behind Klong Hair temple. When I last visited it was still being built, but when it is finished it will probably be the most attractive temple building in Hat Yai.
If you want to visit another floating market in the Hat Yai area, an alternative is Baan Pru Floating Market.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดนัดคลองแงะ
Latitude: N 06° 46' 46.3" (N 06° 46.771')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 45.2" (E 100° 27.753')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Klong Nga is one of the places that you pass through when travelling from Hat Yai to Sadao and then on to the Malaysian border. In Thai terms it is classed as a Tambon and part of Amphoe Sadao.
There is a big market in Klong Nga every Saturday morning with a strong emphasis on used clothes and shoes. New goods are also available though, and there is a traditional Thai fresh market.
The area is home to many Muslims, and loudspeakers blast out Islamic religious music in Arabic giving the impression that you might be in the Middle East rather than the Far East. It's an interesting excursion from Hat Yai for a few hours.
The market starts early. When I went, we left at 6:30am and returned at 9am. This proved to be a good move because even at 9am the temperature was beginning to get uncomfortably hot.
I went with Thai friends but I have seen sawng-thaews around that go to Klong Nga. If you don't read Thai though you will need some help from a Thai person. The same applies with buses. If you want to go, it shouldn't be a problem getting there but you might need some assistance from one of the locals.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Latitude: N 06° 59' 35.0" (N 06° 59.584')
Longitude: E 100° 29' 01.9" (E 100° 29.031')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Hat Yai has a decent sized night market that operates in the evenings from Wednesday to Sunday. It gets going at around 18:00 and closes at 22:00. It's nothing like the scale of Jatujuk in Bangkok (and doesn't have the live animals that Jatujak has) but the format is similar.
It is covered and there are small lanes with several shops selling a variety of things. There are also many food stalls selling everything from common Thai fried-rice dishes and noodles to deep-fried insects.
It is adjacent to the bus station (bor kor sor Map 4) and known by various names: Night Market, Asean Market, Asean Trade Market, Asean Night Bazaar, but the locals call it bpert-taay. This translates to 'open boot' as in the boot (or trunk to Americans) of a car.
In the UK it would be known as a car boot sale. This was how the market started apparently when the economy crashed in 1997. The Baht was devalued, people were struggling with money, so loaded their cars up with possessions they didn't need and went to where the night market is now to sell them.
If you have never been before, walking around is quite good fun. Also, if you have an eye for bargains you can find some good buys. My wife has bought children's shoes in the past, which she has then sold on-line for a small profit.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดนัดสงขลา
Latitude: N 07° 12' 02.3" (N 07° 12.039')
Longitude: E 100° 35' 20.6" (E 100° 35.343')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: There is a big street market in Songkhla every Sunday which starts early and goes on into the early afternoon. It's a very typical Thai market and well worth visiting. The range of products on sale is quite diverse.
You will find Buddhist amulets next to pet goldfish, cats, dogs and rabbits. There are enormous amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, all very cheap, and some quite unusual. The fresh meat on sale - as is normal in Thailand - is unrefrigerated and not always very pleasant to see (or smell).
Cheap, locally-made clothes are plentiful and in one section of the market you will find plants and flowers for sale.
The thing I love about Songkhla is that it is so clean. A lot of the produce on sale is no different to that on sale at the fresh market, or Gim Yong market, in Hat Yai but in terms of cleanliness there is no comparison.
My knowledge of Songkhla street names is not very good but if you take a minivan or bus into Songkhla on a Sunday morning you can't miss the market as it covers such a large area.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดสันติสุขหาดใหญ่
Latitude: N 07° 00' 19.5" (N 07° 00.326')
Longitude: E 100° 28' 15.9" (E 100° 28.266')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Suntisuk market (Map 3) consists of a number of small stalls in narrow covered lanes that run between Niphat Uthit 2 and Niphat Uthit 3 roads. It's a typical Thai market and although the quality of a lot of the stuff sold there is dubious, it's worth a visit.
It's cheap and I was convinced that a lot of the goods on sale were counterfeit but a compact flash card I bought for my camera seems to be genuine and it works fine. The locals tell me that prices are cheap because goods sold at Suntisuk are not subject to tax. When I asked why they said it's because Suntisuk is near to the border but that also applies to every other shop in Hat Yai, which add tax, so it's hardly a satisfactory explanation.
It's basically all illegal. The goods are indeed 'duty-free' but not in a legitimate way. Also, some of the weapons on sale are clearly illegal, as is the pirated software, music and movies, etc.
Occasionally, the vendors will suddenly pull down their metal shutters and close their shops temporarily. They do this when someone signals that the police are in the area, but as soon as the danger has passed the shops then reopen.
There are food products on sale including chocolate, packets of biscuits, coffee, nuts, etc., basically the same things for sale at Gim Yong market. The locals shop here too so it isn't just a place to rip off tourists. Although I am reliably informed that a lot of stuff on sale is legitimate, some of it definitely isn't.
This is the place to buy your pirated movies, music and software in Hat Yai. There is also a lot of porn on sale and - as a Western man in Thailand - I am always singled out as a potential customer. Thais always seem to think that Western men in Thailand are only there for one thing.
This is the place where Bruce Lee fans can buy their Kung Fu weapons and, if martial arts weapons and huge knives aren't enough, they can buy high voltage stun guns as well. A frightening array of weaponry is also sold at Suntisuk (and elsewhere in Hat Yai). Take your choice from knuckle-dusters, fighting sticks and huge, deadly knives. No civilised country should be selling weapons like these. At least they will never get out of the country as no airline would allow them on board but that doesn't solve the problem in Thailand.
The vendors can be quite surly. Despite their constant wailing about how bad business has been since the problems flared up in the three southern provinces, tens of thousands of Chinese Malaysians still cross the border regularly week after week and spend lots of money.
Business is good so there is no need to sell at a discount and if you try haggling the vendors will sometimes get quite annoyed.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.
Thai: ตลาดยรรยงหาดใหญ่
Latitude: N 06° 59' 59.1" (N 06° 59.984')
Longitude: E 100° 27' 38.9" (E 100° 27.649')
Google Maps: Street Map or Satellite View
Comments: Thailand continues to become more Westernised in certain aspects, but Thais still love their traditional way of life. There are lots of traditional markets in the Hat Yai area (as there are all over Thailand) and these are always crowded.
Yun Yong operates on Tuesdays and Fridays. Some vendors are ready for business at 5am and everything wraps up around noon, so get there early. A few vendors sell food (meat, fish and vegetables) and there are a few stalls selling old things. To call these old things antiques would be something of an overstatement. The term 'junk' is probably more accurate. You can also find the usual fake items (kong bplom) and even some plants.
However, these items are secondary to the main business at the market. Most stalls at the market are in the business of selling clothes, both new and second-hand.
Buying second-hand clothes may not seem very attractive (the second-hand shoes certainly don't look attractive), but many used items look new and the prices are ridiculously cheap. I asked some vendors where the items came from and they told me mostly from Japan and sometimes from Europe.
My wife has bought a lot of clothes for our young daughter. She is growing quickly and her clothes don't last long before she outgrows them. Children's clothes from department stores are expensive, but the market sells clothes that look as good as new for a few Baht.
When I first saw used clothes from the market I thought they were new. We treat them with disinfectant in the initial wash, just as a precaution, but then launder them with the other clothes as normal.
Many of the items carry brand names, but in this part of the world that doesn't mean much. A pair of Bt80 sunglasses may have a Rayban label, but they're still an Bt80 pair of sunglasses. Items could be genuine, but take your chances. On the other hand, if you can't tell whether something is genuine or fake what difference does it make if it is fake?
The market is located in the Hat Yai Nai area. Go over the railway bridge, past the police station and immigration office and you will see a large school on the left (Hat Yai Wittayalaisomboonkulkanya School).
Turn left just before the school into Phon Phichai Road, go past Tessabaan 2 School on your left, and you will see the market on your left.
Visitor Comments: No visitor comments yet. Be the first to send feedback about this market. Send an e-mail to phil@phil.uk.net, or use the following form. Comments will be added anonymously.