We had occasion to visit the Night Bazaar on Changklan Rd for the first time an quite a while, squiring a young visitor from Japan.  I was surprised to find it packed shoulder to shoulder with tourists. Kalare, Annusarn Market, as well as the street itself was packed with tourists anxiously handing over money for memories of their visit. The number of food courts seems to have tripled or quadrupled since my last exploration of this area, with three new (to me) venues where food vendors sold their goods. At 7:30 it was difficult to find an available table at any of them.  I had to wait in line with 10-12 people ahead of me for my dinner of grilled lamb and a donnar kebab plate. Good taste and more than good value for the money.

 

While we as 'locals' found nothing new being sold, our young tourist friend was in tourist shopping heaven, buying the obligatory circus pants, wooden frogs, and beaded bracelets to bring back as gifts for the folks back home. I know that the stats say that tourism is down, but perhaps they are only counting the courted Chinese bus tours. Very few Chinese to be seen, but a jam-packed busy tourist night market without them. O'Mally's only had two people inside, and the place with live music just beyond it had 4 customers, but the night markets vendors catering to the tourist crowd all were smiling!

Numbers seem to have picked up over the last week or 2 but the area is way short of how it used to be for tourists. Possibly not helped by roadside stalls being removed by the authorities and the space now occupied by parked motorbikes.

I hope you are right and I am unlucky in seeing fewer visitors.

It's because of the holiday season, and what you saw was very unusual. I have been to the Night Bazaar for various reasons about 12 times over the last 6-8 weeks. Rarely is there more than 100-150 people total there (Kalare) - perhaps the same or a little more at Anusarn. If you look at the thread about Chinese tourism, you will see photos I posted taken at about 19:30 on a Friday as I recall, where the entire restaurant areas are deserted. The large seafood restaurant in back did not have even ONE customer.

 

However, I am happy for the vendors that there is this uptick in holiday tourism.

It's because of the holiday season, and what you saw was very unusual. I have been to the Night Bazaar for various reasons about 12 times over the last 6-8 weeks. Rarely is there more than 100-150 people total there (Kalare) - perhaps the same or a little more at Anusarn. If you look at the thread about Chinese tourism, you will see photos I posted taken at about 19:30 on a Friday as I recall, where the entire restaurant areas are deserted. The large seafood restaurant in back did not have even ONE customer.
 
However, I am happy for the vendors that there is this uptick in holiday tourism.

this month is of course peak season and like you said - also during my visits to the night bazaar over the last few months - when showing around visiting friends - one can not help but to feel sorry for the many vendors sitting there doing hardly any business at all.

But then again - if the vendors would sell at reasonable prices like they do at the night bazaar in Chiang Rai - the visiting Thais - which are of course still the majority of visitors - might actually start buying things!

The so called “street food” area seems to have totally missed the point - or as a visiting Thai friend of mine put it - “why is the street food more expensive than some restaurants”?


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Exactly where was the good deal on lamb?

O’Malleys only had two people inside? Two more than it deserves.

2 hours ago, elgenon said:

Exactly where was the good deal on lamb?

 

Back left-side food court in Kalare, back left-side corner vendor called 'Istanbul' ( I think it used to be called ' Constantinople ' in the past...)

This was just plain lamb chunks on a skewer, but very tasty.

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the hue

O’Malleys only had two people inside? Two more than it deserves.

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the huevos to explain your obviously biased comment about O'Malleys.

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2 hours ago, lipflipper said:

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the hue

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the huevos to explain your obviously biased comment about O'Malleys.

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I've ate an drank in there twice I have to agree that the food is/was shocking (never again)  The smell inside was bad enough.

2 hours ago, lipflipper said:

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the hue

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the huevos to explain your obviously biased comment about O'Malleys.

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Having been there a couple of times in the past couple of years Have found the staff rude and surly, god forbid they have to put down their phones to serve a customer, and I dont appreciate my plates being banged down on the table . It was breakfast time, BUT the food was really good and hot.

15 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

 

Back left-side food court in Kalare, back left-side corner vendor called 'Istanbul' ( I think it used to be called ' Constantinople ' in the past...)

This was just plain lamb chunks on a skewer, but very tasty.

Thanks! I will try it. Love lamb. I remember a song basically saying Istanbul and Constantinople were the same. 5555

8 hours ago, lipflipper said:

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the hue

Take that snarky attitude about a fine pub and restaurant and put it where the sun don't shine. Better still have the huevos to explain your obviously biased comment about O'Malleys.

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The food is disgusting, the place stinks and service is appalling. Next question?

20 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

 

Back left-side food court in Kalare, back left-side corner vendor called 'Istanbul' ( I think it used to be called ' Constantinople ' in the past...)

This was just plain lamb chunks on a skewer, but very tasty.

Directly behind this food court are a couple of small trailers where food is served. One is a Lebanese chef. They also serve lamb. I haven't eaten there but have noticed many Lebanese, Syrian, etc. tourists dining there and it looks good. I love Little Istanbul but always get the kebab there with no disappointment. If I wanted lamb then I would try the Lebanese place.

4 hours ago, elgenon said:

Thanks! I will try it. Love lamb. I remember a song basically saying Istanbul and Constantinople were the same. 5555