Phuket Floating Market pulls in the crowds
Phuket’s first floating market officially opened in Kathu last week with over 1,000 visitors pouring in to inspect the new attraction last weekend (May 21-22).
Phuket Vice Governor Khajornkiet Rakpanichmanee presided over the opening ceremony of the Phuket Floating Market, located opposite Loch Palm Golf Club in Kathu on May 18, with Kathu Mayor Chaianan Suthikul and Anucha Voranetiwong, General Manager of P. R.A. Solution Co, as key guests.
The man behind Phuket Floating Market, Mr Anucha, explained, “We invested in the floating market because we wanted the project to become Phuket’s central marketplace and to generate income for local people. Phuket is already a tourist destination, so we wanted to develop the number one market – or even better, the only floating market – in Phuket.
“We invested more than B200 million to transform the tin mine covering 35 rai into a shopping arcade floating on water. The building took 18 months to complete and today it houses 288 businesses, including restaurants, clothing shops, spas, health massage stalls, souvenir shops and stalls selling OTOP (One Tambon, One Product) products from all over Thailand,” Mr Anucha explained.
“It will be the centre for quality products at affordable prices. You will find shops such as Pimchana dried fruit, fresh coffee shop The Hero Cafe, Baitong Souvenir, just to name a few,” he added.
Visitors can enjoy local desserts and homemade delicacies from many shops at the market, and even take a boat tour of the area, or just take a boat from one shopping zone to another.
“The chic design is a very modern mix of Thai-Phuket style,” said Mr Anucha. “This reflects the mix of traditional and modern styles present in local people’s lives today.”
Wynn Sinchai, Floating Market Manager, added, “Beside shops and restaurants, we also have live entertainment such as traditional Thai dance, sword-fighting dance and cabaret every day at 11am, 2pm and 6pm. All shows are free of charge.
“We had over 1,000 visitors each day for our first Saturday and Sunday and we expect the number to rise in the future,” he said.
In addition, artists and musicians also perform each night, he added.
“Next month, we will add more stalls at the front of the complex where a nightly market will be held 5pm to midnight each night. The area will be decorated with statues of all sorts of superheroes,” Mr Wynn said.
Units at the Floating Market are still available, he added.
“The stalls are about 3×4 metres and available on one-year lease. Soon, when we open the night market, people can rent stall sites there too
Phuket Floating Market is open daily from 10am-10pm. For more information call 089-8736952.
