A market for each occasion

Let me get this right: Thai people love their markets. As a matter of fact, we have different markets specializing in various things, such as the food markets, the clothing markets, the second-hand ones, the artistic ones. Markets could be seen as a second economy, not just because items are generally cheaper, but also because it allows people to bargain for their favorite products. It goes without saying that Phuket has its fair share of markets.

One of Phuket’s most famous markets would be Naka Market, also known as the Weekend Market. Located on the outskirt of Phuket Town, the venue opens each Saturday and Sunday from 4:00 pm onward. It is by far the largest market on the island, with several alleys offering the latest trend in fashion, accessories, and souvenirs.

A whole section of the market is dedicated to food, with many Thai specialties to enjoy, as well as some international classics; a great way to try many different dishes, as the portions are usually small, but on the cheap side of things. I would advise staying clear of one particular alley, where one can find cats, dogs and other animals for sale, as I do not believe it brings anything positive to the experience.

Chillva is another market we would encourage you to visit; located in Samkong, the venue is opened daily, except on Sundays. While it is certainly a lot smaller than Naka Market, Chillva has made a noun for itself, and hundreds of locals gather every day to look at the latest fashion and to eat some delicious food in one of the numerous containers that surround the market.

The other cool place to be seen is the Sunday Market, known by the locals as Lad Yai, which is located on Thalang Road, in the heart of Phuket old town. During one afternoon and one evening per week, the municipality closes down this road, which transforms into a long walking street, where vendors of all kinds set up stands to sell their merchandise.

Similar to the other places, we can see that the market is segmented into different parts, allowing to find what you’re looking for in a more efficient way. The food offering is a bit more international than

BARGAINING IS NO SHAME; IT’S AN ART!

If there is one thing that westerners have some difficulties to understand when arriving in Thailand is that (almost) everything should be bargained here; it’s a tradition, especially at markets that sell clothing and other souvenirs (you would not try to negotiate on food). As a rule of thumb, consider what price would make you happy, and start the negotiations slightly below that price. A THB 300 shirt, for example, could easily be bought for THB 200. Give it your best smile and you’re all set!

Naka Market, though you will find enough of Thai food and other Asian dishes as well. It is well worth the walk, even though you are not looking to buy anything.

You will find other markets in different parts of the island, such as Patong, Karon (at the temple twice a week), Rawai and Bang Tao (the famous Boat Avenue market every Friday). Overall, visiting a Thai market is a unique experience, and you should certainly spend one or two days per month to discover the numerous venues across the island.

Who knows? You may end up getting hooked up on the hustle and bustle and the great street food each stall has to offer. We certainly are!

SHOPPER’S DELIGHTS

Located on Dibuk Road, this indy shopping mall recently celebrated its 4th anniversary. The mall offers a good mix between clothing shops, restaurants, souvenir boutiques and grocery store on two separate floors while providing regular events to keep the crowd, consisting mainly of locals, entertained. It shares its parking lot with the now-famous Phuket Indy Market on Thursdays and Fridays, so make sure you go there early on those dates if you wish to get a parking spot, as the market takes over from 4:00 pm. < WEB: www.limelightphuket.com

JUNGCEYLON PATONG

Patong has its own shopping center, by the moniker of Jungceylon. The mall opened in 2006 and covers an area of 200,000 square meters. It is well-known for its full-size wooden boat, located in the central atrium, linking the various buildings together. Plenty of places to shops, including local and international brands, and a large avenue filled with restaurants and places to relax under the shades. WEB: www.jungceylon.com >

TURTLE VILLAGE MAI KHAO

The exclusive shopping destination for the best dining and shopping on Mai Khao Beach. Cuisine choices match wonderfully with the gift, souvenir, antique and clothing selections. Outlets include Bill Bentley Pub, the only English pub on Mai Khao Beach; The Coffee Club; Swensens; Supermarket Turtle Mart; Jim Thompson; Narai Phand; Private Collection; Ferera; Paul Ropp; Anita; Eleph; Marie France Van Damme; Unique Art; Tanya Living; Basil; Phuket Happiness Trip; Cashmere Hut; Joy Isomare; Bangkok B.P. Pharmacy, while the new phase include the like of 7 Eleven, Pizza Company, Etam, OVS, Anello and Esprit.

VILLA MARKET CHALONG While Villa Market is known for its imported products, which please foreigner living on the island and looking for comfort food from home, the Chalong’s venue is much larger than just a regular supermarket, and offers some restaurants, a DIY store named HomePro, a Banana IT store for all your computer needs, and several other clothing and souvenir shops. It is also home to a large market every Tuesdays, where locals love to stop by and grab some delicious food before heading home. Beware of the limited parking spaces on that day.

CENTRAL PHUKET, PHUKET TOWN

Central Phuket is the largest shopping center of the island and goes into the top 3 largest shopping malls in Thailand, comprising of two separate buildings: the long-standing Central Festival, which opened in the 90s, and the newly built extension Central Floresta, which opened its doors in September 2018. Both buildings offer a combined area of 185,000 square meters and host more than 700 different shops, from luxury watches and clothes to everyday items. WEB: www.centralfestivalphuket.com

PREMIUM OUTLET PHUKET TOWN

Brand-name clothing and sports accessories at bargain prices, this is the brand promise of Premium Outlet. Apart from numerous Thai brands, other international names can be found on sale, including Lacoste, Guy Laroche, Levi’s, Lee, Adidas and Nike and feature discounts of up to 70%. It is open daily from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm and can be found on Bypass Road, not far from the Toyota Dealership. WEB: www.outletmallthailand.com

EASE INTO CORD CUTTING WITH FOUR EASY STEPS

Ditching cable for what are known as streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Apple TV, and more is all the rage these days. Despite what one may think, it’s easy to make the move from traditional cable or satellite TV to a robust, highly affordable and customized TV-watching experience.

Cutting cable not only gives you access to the TV shows and movies you already love but will open up a new world of entertainment you can watch when you want and where you want on TVs or almost any device you own like cell phones, tablets, and more.

But where do you start? If you’re thinking of cutting the cable cord and don’t want to go cold turkey, you can test the waters with this quick-start guide that will prepare you for the jump to being a full-fledged “Cord Cutter” at a fraction of the cost of cable. Here’s how to get started.

1. What do you want to watch?

Love nail-biting true crime dramas? Are you a romantic who needs to see every heartwarming ending? Perhaps a sports nut who needs to see every game? There are streaming TV services that appeal to every appetite, and you can subscribe to more than a few for a lot less than traditional cable or satellite. For example, Netflix offers great original on-demand programming as well as a catalog of beloved movies and TV shows from THB 280 a month. While for THB 99 a month, Apple TV+ offers several unique series and documentaries to watch on your own, with your friends or with the entire family. Combined, these two are less

than THB 400 a month, making it easy to imagine a bundle of services that is perfect for you, yet costs less than what you’re paying now for the traditional cable.

2. Check out free trials

Not sure what streaming TV services are best for you? Try some free trials. Almost all TV streaming services offer free trials, so you can pick a couple to try out before making any commitments. If a service requires a credit card to sign up for a free trial, don’t panic. There should be the option to cancel before the trial ends and you are charged anything. Take note of this date and make sure to decide if you want to pay up for it. an array of products at varying price points.

4. Explore even more options with a VPN

Did you know that most of the high-quality streaming services like Hulu a geo-blocked to specific countries? In order to bypass the system, you can install a VPN on your computer or streaming device and make the system believe that you are located in the United States.

There are thousands of VPN services available on the Internet, though we would personally recommend NordVPN or Express VPN as they offer great compatibility with Netflix and other streaming services.

THREE WEBSITES TO VISIT TODAY!

Netflix

The website itself does not need any introduction, but it is always good to know that it is an option in Thailand. The standard package will cost you THB 280 per month, or THB 350 is you want to experience your movies and series in HD. WEB: www.netflix.com

3. How to watch

Chances are, you already have a number of ways to stream TV in your home, pocket, and backpack. There are apps for computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming systems; and of course a slew of devices like Roku, Android TV, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. If you have a smart TV, you can watch streaming content directly on your TV via an internet connection. If you need to pick up a streaming device, it’s a one-time cost and there are Once you’ve had a chance to explore the rich trove of content and sampled a few of the great streaming TV services, making the change is quite easy. Streaming services require a high-speed internet connection, which most homes already have. If not, shop around for internet service providers that offer high bandwidth and are available in your area.

This article was originally published by Brandpoint and is reproduced here with full authorization.

Da Font

Looking for a killer font for your next project, or willing to enhance those gorgeous Christmas E-cards you’re sending every year? Da Font is a font library where you can download thousands of fonts through different categories. WEB: www.dafont.com

All Recipes

It’s easy to get lost in culinary madness; luckily for us, websites like All Recipes makes it easy to browse through thousands of recipes, such as Thai classics to homemade Italian pizzas. The website is free to use, and provides feedback from users as well. WEB: www.allrecipes.com

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Hotels & Resorts

Restaurants & Coffee Shops

Bars & Nightlife

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THE GUIDE TO THAI LANGUAGE EP6: HEALTH PROBLEMS

Allergic - แพ้ Pae Faint - เป็ นลม Pen Lom Itches - คัน Khan Pain - เจ็บปวด Jeb Puad Burn - แผลไหม้ Plae Mai Headache - ปวดหัว Puad Hua Stomachache - ปวดท้อง Puad Tong Toothache - ปวดฟัน Puad Fan Sore throat - เจ็บคอ Jeb Kor Hypertension - ความดันโลหิตสูง Kwam Dan Lor Hit Soong Rash - ผื่น Peun Cut - บาดแผล Bat Plae Symptoms

Diabetes - โรคเบาหวาน Rok Bao Wan Rabies - โรคกลัวน� ้ ำRok Glua Nam Diarrhea - ท้องร ่ วง Tong Ruang Influenza - ไข้หวัดใหญ ่ Khai Wad Yai Pneumonia - ปอดอักเสบ Pod Ag Seb Anemia - โรคโลหิตจาง Rok Lo Hit Jang Asthma - โรคหอบหืด Rok Hop Heud Cancer - มะเร็ง Ma Reng Heart Disease - โรคหัวใจ Rok Hua Jai Bronchitis - หลอดลมอักเสบ Lod Lom Ag Seb Food poisoning - อาหารเป็ นพิษ Ahaan Pen Pit Diseases and more

Appendicitis - ไส้ติ ่ งอักเสบ Sai Ting Ag Seb Hay fever - ไข้ละอองฟาง Khai La Ong Fang Tuberculosis - วัณโรค Wan Na Rok Infection - ติดเชื ้ อ Tid Chua Inflammation - อักเสบ Ag Seb Swollen - บวม Buam Wounded - บาดเจ็บ Bat Jeb Sick - ป่ วย Puay Cold - เป็ นหวัด Pen Wad Cough - ไอ Ai Sneeze - จาม Jaam

While we certainly hope you won’t have to visit a hospital while you are staying in Thailand, rest assured that the quality of treatments you would receive in private hospitals in Phuket and Thailand, in general, are on par with what you could be expected in the West, if not better. After all, Thailand is a big player in the medical tourism industry, and for good reasons; most doctors have international experience, translators are readily available if needed, and of course, the costs of treatments are much cheaper than what you would be asked to pay in other countries. Visiting a hospital in Thailand

GETTING TO KNOW The creativity you can sip – Alex Poltavskiy

During one of our recent trip to the Phuket old town, we had the opportunity to sit down and discuss with Alex Poltavskiy, Owner and Mixologist at the Gardens Gastronomy Bar, located on Phang Nga Road.

Tell us a bit more about yourself; how did you become a mixologist?

I started bartending about 9 years ago. I’m originally from Kazakhstan, but moved to Russia to study at the university, so I was looking for a way to make some extra money and found a job in a nightclub. I worked there for about two years. My interest in mixology grew up, but there was no real opportunity working at a nightclub, as most drinks are really basic to make. I found another venue which provided me with more training, but was still treated as a regular nightclub bartender. This is when I decided to move to South-East Asia and start everything from scratch.

I found a bar in Phuket town and started to help the guys there and spend more time with cocktails. I also joined

THE GUIDE PHUKET | APRIL 2020 every single competition I could to challenge myself and practice more. Then I came up with the idea that I wanted to have my own bar so me and my friend decided to open our own place and that was the beginning of Gardens Gastronomy Bar.

Why did you choose South-East Asia?

Moving to Asia has made me from a bartender to a mixologist because there are more products available than in Russia. For example, right now, 40% of the bottles we are using are not available in Russia because of their laws and regulations. It was easier also to buy the equipment, such as smoking guns, to create better cocktails, both visually and from a taste perspective.

What is the secret of a great cocktail?

To me, cocktails do not have to be complicated, but it is important to understand how every single ingredient works. I’ve been working every day, trying to understand

the unique flavors of each ingredient, and how well they can be mixed with each other. If only one component doesn’t go well, the whole cocktail will have the wrong taste. I like to go to the local market at least once a month and buy some products I am not yet used to, and see how I could incorporate them into my creations.

What do you think of the mixology culture in Phuket, or in South-East Asia in general?

Mixology has become a huge trend in Phuket. Since last year, I’ve counted more than three cocktail bars opening in Phuket Town. We are trying to elevate Phuket on the mixology scene, as it is great already for food and the atmosphere. Similar with South-East Asia, I travel a lot across Asia to understand the culture of each country.

How did you come up with the name “Garden Gastronomy Bar” and what makes it special?

My partner lived in Siberia, a place where it is difficult to find fresh plants and flowers. Seeing how easy it was in Phuket, we decided to name our place Garden Gastronomy Bar. We could see from the beginning that there was not a lot of rooftop bar in Phuket Town, so we decided to open one. Our building is a 4-story building, with each floor having a different concept, always under the garden theme.

The first floor is the tropical garden, with a large bar counter, as we encourage our guests to sit up at the bar and discuss with the mixologists. The second floor is the city garden, where we have our stage with our live band and a nice balcony. The third floor is called the backyard, as you can see the open kitchen from here and have a look at what the Chefs are cooking. Finally, we have the rooftop bar on the last floor, surrounded by fresh plants to keep in mind the garden feeling.

What cocktails should we order at your venue?

We can create almost any cocktails you can think of, as we have gathered a nice collection of liquors from all around the world. We even have great selection of whiskies and rums for you to enjoy with a nice cigar on the balcony.

My personal favourite cocktail is the Old Fashion, but there are hundreds for you to try!

WHAT’S ON GUIDE OUR MARCH FAVORITE MOMENTS IN PHUKET

In what appears to be the last month of social activities in Phuket for the next coming months, March offered a few activities and events, such as art exhibitions, grand openings, and the green celebration all Irish were waiting for, St. Patrick’s Day!

On March 13, 2020, the French Consul in Phuket hosted an art exhibition titled Three Ways, from three talented local artists.

On March 4, 2020, Jetts 24 Hours Fitness opened its doors within Central Phuket, on the Festival side. In addition to being opened 24 hours a day, Jetts Fitness offer all the equipment you need to train your cardio and for muscular development. The no locked-in membership costs THB 1,600 per month and gives you access to all Jetts Fitness around the world.

On March 15, 2020, a new wine supplier opened its doors in the heart of Phuket Town, right opposite the Samkong Tesco Lotus, under the name Oriental Vineseries.

Located in a four-story building, the wine supplier comes complete with several rooms with different atmosphere where you can enjoy the latest import of your favorite wine. Oriental Vineseries currently proposes a well-thought portfolio mixing wines from the old world and the new world, including sparkling wines and other Prosseco.

You can find their shop on Chalermprakiat Rama 9 Road, right next to the Aphrodite Cabaret, or give them a call at +66 76 249 129.

On March 17, 2020, The Drunken Leprechaun, in Patong, celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with the launch of new menu items and a duelist piano show.

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