May 31 2011
Somphet market
Hotel deals of the day for Thailand -- check rates with Agoda
A very traditional little shopping spot, Somphet market is just off Moonmuang Road, right in the heart of Chiang Mai’s Guesthouse-land (see map). In fact we can only assume that most customers in the market these days are guesthouse cooks, since there really aren’t many private houses in this part of town anymore.
An old-style market.
Now there’s not a lot there that your average visitor would actually want to purchase, (the cook’s already got the chicken and green curry paste), but it is an interesting place to wander around and it is excellent for a morning coffee or fresh fruit juice, or for that matter, a late night noodle soup when everything else is shut.
Fruit (and, ahem, Oreo!?) shakes and juices.
The market itself is mostly fruit and veg, plus some fly-blown meat, but it is surrounded by plenty of cheapo coffee and juice stalls.
Far cheaper and better than St....cks!!
You can also grab a bite to eat in one of the adjacent cafes and noodle stalls spilling out along the edge of Moonmuang Road.
With curry paste straight from the market opposite.
So grab a juice and watch the Chiang Mai locals in a traditional market while you can — it’ll probably all be turned into the Somphet Boutique Lodge in a couple of years!
Morning natter in the market.
More still
» Previous post: Splurging on Bangkok sushi: Part 1
» Next post: Getting a Vietnamese visa in Bangkok
Disclaimer
Travelfish.org always pays its way. No exceptions.
Tags: shakes, traditional markets
This is a ridiculous post. It is purportedly about Somphet Market but it is really only about the juice and coffee stand at the far end, which is not even a part of the market! I live in Chiang Mai and visit this market several times per week.
1) The customers are local and live in the neighborhood.
2) While this is a smaller market compared with Chang Puak, or the massive Warrorot/Lam Yai and Muang Mai markets (where the cooks actually shop, by the way), it has a bit of everything found in many markets.
3) Meats: raw and cooked, grilled and dried fish, isaan sausage, grilled pork, there is a gai yang ha dao rotiserrie
4) Vegetables and fruits, lots of these here
5) Prepared food, at one end on Soi 6 are several shops with prepared food to pick up and take home. Especially tasty and good prices.
6) Around the corner on Moon Muang market are some Chiang Mai sausages as well as fried chicken
7) Also can be found: good som tam shop as well as fried bananas
In the morning, a host of cooking schools in the neighborhood bring their gaggle of farang to shop for and learn about Thai ingredients.
Yes, this place is more expensive than the other markets, but that doesn’t mean Thai people don’t come here, they do. Partially for convenience, but also some of items here are pretty good, so quality plays a role.
Your lazy writer should be fired. Not only did the real character of the market get overlooked but real misinformation was given. All because the guy was having a coffee and fruit shake one morning, and thought he could write about a market without even walking through it. For shame!
Hi Jeff – the ‘guesthouse cooks’ part is intended to be tongue in cheek due to Somphet’s location in CM’s ‘guesthouse land’! Don’t think we suggested they didn’t sell meat or fruit and veg – in fact there’s a fruit pic – nor did we claim it was more expensive than anywhere else, nor did we imply that NO Thai’s ever shopped there. Unfortunately we can’t itemize every single thing they do sell in the market because of space restraints and to encourage the ‘average tourist’ to visit, what we agree is an interesting market, it’s more apt to mention they can have their morning coffee there whilst they watch the goings on, than they can buy a kilo of chicken.
Hey Jeff,
Thanks for the suggestion, but will pass on firing Mark. Likewise your notes re some of the fare in the market appreciated, though do think perhaps you missed some of the tongue-in-cheek of the above post.
Cheers
Stuart
(edited this comment to correct typo)
You guys lost all credibility. You say “tongue in cheek” but specifically write that “there really aren’t many private houses in this part of town anymore”. This is simply wrong. Then specifically write “there’s not a lot there that your average visitor would actually want to purchase”. And that too is simply wrong. It is not the writer being playful, it is the writer being wrong. Completely missing the fact that there are several cooking schools in the neighborhood who use this market for their tourist students to learn about and buy food, again, missing the important information for the tourist. I’ve looked up some other posts by this writer and many seem equally devoid of real information. Very sad, for you, your business, and your customers. It really makes me wonder about your content for other locations.
Thanks for your input and opinions Jeff.
Cheers
[...] Diamond is tucked away down Moonmuang Soi 9, so just past Somphet market on the left as the traffic flows (see map here). All in all, a great — yes and healthy — eating [...]
It would be helpful if locations could be posted on a map. The description of the location is useless if you’re not familiar with Chiang Mai.
It is a little sad to see Somphet market marred by those bland tourist juice and coffee shops – But the authentic market itself still functions much as it always has. If the “average visitor” isn’t unadventurous enough to get anything more out of this gem of a place, then maybe they should never have left their own country.
I often pick up my lunch here – because the selection is so awesome. Grilled-fish, Spicy sour pork wrapped in banana leaf, cooked sausages, fried chicken, somtam, corn on the cob, nuts, salads, dried fish (an acquired taste), fresh fruits, and always great cooked Thai dishes that you can take away in a bag for 10 or 20B. One fruit stall, just on Moonmuang does small bottles of the most delicious freshly-squeezed orange juice anywhere and baby coconut juice too. (The stall opposite has bigger bottles, but doesn’t taste as good)
Everything is cooked and ready to take away and eat.