jdwphuket Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hi all, I'm trying to compile a list of places it's possible to eat for free in Phuket. My definition of 'free' is quite loose. This might mean bars that put on free food for customers, even if you still have to pay for the drinks. You can also eat free samples at Villa Market, though obviously you're not going to fill your stomach doing that... I also hear they put on free food at the Big Buddha in Chalong, too. Can anyone help me out with my list? Bars, clubs, shops, churches, temples, whatever..... Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QED Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 This has to be a troll, most balloon chasers deny that they do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadman Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 This has to be a troll, most balloon chasers deny that they do it I agree, but forgive my ignorance - what's a balloon chaser? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Salvation army Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdwphuket Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 Erm, no, not a troll, I genuinely want this information... I don't really understand what your post is supposed to mean. This has to be a troll, most balloon chasers deny that they do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelepulse Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 At any bar and restaurant opening as well as where you see a lot of baloons outside of bars which usually means free food. I'm just curious as to where you're going to publish this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyborg22 Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 At any bar and restaurant opening as well as where you see a lot of baloons outside of bars which usually means free food. You would be suprised as to how much this goes on. (balloon chasers as you call it). In june last year my wife and i decided to go to samui for 4 weeks (little break from bkk) As usual i visited my favourite massage shop on the beach behind lamai pearl, One of the girls was having a last night bbq party for her boyfriend. He was returning to uk the next day, The place was streaming with balloons. My wife and i were invited to the party which we attended, I was amazed at how many farang just appeared out of nowhere. The girls said they were not invited and they did not know them, After trying to charge them bht100 most of them left. I think there must have being a back packers convention just down the road. Not suprised they were hungry it's a long walk from before ninja crepes to lamai pearl along the beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuenjit Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Just go to the beach and pick up shells - Hard work and they are very small so you need lots - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred2007 Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Is this post for real? Or can't I handle a bottle of Chang anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Pathetic. If a farang cannot afford to pay for food, go home. Farangs that show up at the religious events or charitable feeds with the sole purpose of getting a free eats are taking food from the mouthes of those that need it most. 'nuff said. I can understand a sampling event, but targeting balloon days, is for people with the big L on their forheads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1000baht Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Balloon Chasers is an interesting subject. There are different levels to the BC's . There are the bottom feeders, who just pull up out of nowhere and grab the food and run. But the ones i know are mostly good guys, who are either teaching etc. who are on a limited income. So why wouldnt they take advantage of a free meal here and there? They come in buy a beer and mingle for an hour. But it does get old after awhile buying these guys beer and never getting it back. There are a few guys I know who I think must have a " Balloon Radar " on thier bikes though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimera Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hi all,I'm trying to compile a list of places it's possible to eat for free in Phuket. My definition of 'free' is quite loose. This might mean bars that put on free food for customers, even if you still have to pay for the drinks. You can also eat free samples at Villa Market, though obviously you're not going to fill your stomach doing that... I also hear they put on free food at the Big Buddha in Chalong, too. Can anyone help me out with my list? Bars, clubs, shops, churches, temples, whatever..... Many thanks There is no such thing as a free meal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balo Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Just look around you , theres plenty of free food. Try to pick up a few rats and fry them, its delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carib Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Follow the soidogs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiliwasabi Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Get yourself a trolley and an apron and hang around food halls pretending to be a cleaner. Collect the plates once customers leave and put the scraps aside for a free feast. You could then sell the plates and cutlery for a bit of pocket money You could also rig up your service cart to convert to sleeping quarters so that you can save on accommodation too. The possibilities are endless (with a bit of imagination river water will pass for a refreshing ice tea...mmmmm). Chok Dee my thrifty friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlehead Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Get a job! Many jobs provide free food. Also, at low tide, you'll notice many Thai people out collecting clams, shells, crabs, etc. As well as people often seen picking the edible wild plants along the road. HOWEVER: please be aware that the black smoke you see billowing from many Thai people's vehicles ends up feeding those wild plants next to the road and they are very high in sulfur content. Better to pick them in the jungle or away from any road. Also: you may notice many Burmese workers carrying a slingshot in the back pocket. They shoot lizards and birds. As well as out catching frogs after the rain. Easy to get free food in Thailand, but you have to work a bit for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zazo Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Get a job! Many jobs provide free food. Also, at low tide, you'll notice many Thai people out collecting clams, shells, crabs, etc. As well as people often seen picking the edible wild plants along the road. HOWEVER: please be aware that the black smoke you see billowing from many Thai people's vehicles ends up feeding those wild plants next to the road and they are very high in sulfur content. Better to pick them in the jungle or away from any road. Also: you may notice many Burmese workers carrying a slingshot in the back pocket. They shoot lizards and birds. As well as out catching frogs after the rain. Easy to get free food in Thailand, but you have to work a bit for it. Be rude to one of the boys in brown you will get free food for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugJackBaron Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 The obvious one: pick up a fishing line and find a nice spot on the local river. In Bangkok you can see Thais fishing from many major bridges. Not sure how "aroi" the fish they catch is though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjochim Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I've been planning to make a similar list for a while now of the various weekly/biweekly "free barbecues" on offer from various bars around the island. For a number of teachers at my school (and, yes, we tend to be on limited budgets) these are usually our only opportunities for farang food (which we do crave from time to time) in a relaxed atmosphere (i.e., not being harassed by bar-girls or hanging out in the expat bars). For those who don't really like the bar-scene it gives them a chance to eat cheaply and see their fellow teachers outside of the school. You need that release every once-in-a-while after long days of dealing with not-always-attentive students, their not-always-cooperative parents, and the very-rarely-sympathetic Thai admin staff. The food tastes good after eating the rarely-palatable cafeteria food. True, some of the teachers do have savings and can manage to eat well often throughout the long months. But the majority are trying to stretch their baht from one monthly paycheck to the next by subsisting entirely on the cafeteria food during the days, local Thai food in the evenings, and then longing for a visit to a "free barbecue" once or twice a month. I've noticed the quality of established barbecues does tend to decline over time. If people looking for such a barbecue only know of one or two than those locations are inundated week-after-week and it's more difficult to obtain the truly excellent items (i.e., the wonderful potato salad and cole slaw at Happy Days doesn't last very long). Knowing of other places that offer the occasional free barbecue allows those looking for a cheap night out (teachers and Muay Thai trainees seem to be the most populous of these) would allow us to visit a number of establishments over the course of time rather than sticking with one or two favorites and adding to the crowd. With that disclaimer out of the way, I offer a couple that I know about in Ao Chalong: Dos Gringo's -- at the end of the pier road on the right side as you are heading towards the pier (last establishment on the proper road, right before Kanaeng By The Pier): used to have a free BBQ on Thursday evenings (which started out as "Teacher's Night") -- all you can eat for the price of a beer or margarita; a low price if you purchased a non-alcoholic drink; don't know if they still have it as I haven't been in quite some time (due mainly to the service going downhill and eventually it was discovered by certain large farang men who used to push and shove their way to the table and grab HUGE portions) and there has been a change of management Happy Days -- on the pier road, close to the circle on the left; excellent layout of food every second Friday (the next one is tonight) for the price of a drink. Food's usually set out in an outdoor area BEHIND the building around 9:00 and includes roast beef, the aforementioned cole slaw and potato salad, chicken, corn-on-the-cob, and other goodies. My favorite. I believe Shanti Lodge on Chaofa West going north towards Wat Chalong and Central Festival also offers an occassional free/low-price BBQ. I'll try to track down more details. Can anybody else offer a few favorites? I'd like to build up a longer list -- mainly to inform new teachers when they ask where they can go for a cheap meal. And I'd personally like to find someplace else as my current favorite is becoming more and more crowded over time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 A bunch of teachers fighting in front of a barbecue for some free chicken wings. I don't know if laugh or cry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QED Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 @ Mjochim If you are talking about weekly bbq's etc, these are put on by the bar owner as a thankyou to regular customers, and as a marketing tool to attract new customers. They are not there for tight arsed teachers to get a free feed 'for the price of a drink'. You must be really thick skinned to think you can go back to these places week after week without everyone thinking what a sad loser you are. If I owned a bar and people like you abused my hospitality, you would be welcome to a free knuckle sandwich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelepulse Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I was kind of thinking that why don't all the teachers get together for a weekly teachers BBQ somewhere where they can enjoy the food they miss and keep the cost down. I can't imagine any bar or restaurant owner wants to see 30 teachers come in weekly and ordering a water or a beer chang, then leaving upon having a full belly. Better to chase ballons or grab a fishing pole and catch some free food out of the ocean and then BBQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damaz6052 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Hi all,I'm trying to compile a list of places it's possible to eat for free in Phuket. My definition of 'free' is quite loose. This might mean bars that put on free food for customers, even if you still have to pay for the drinks. You can also eat free samples at Villa Market, though obviously you're not going to fill your stomach doing that... I also hear they put on free food at the Big Buddha in Chalong, too. Can anyone help me out with my list? Bars, clubs, shops, churches, temples, whatever..... Many thanks The Beer Garden bar in Kamala quite often has free food when one of the girls has a b'day party, almost one a month on average. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjochim Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Actually, the owners of the two places I've named do encourage us to return each week. I, on average, only get to Happy Days once per month for the BBQ and then usually a second time each month for one of their awesome 100-baht baguettes. Typically, I only have about 2000-3000 baht per month for food (and THAT includes groceries). Very possible to live on that but from time-to-time I (and most other teachers I know) do crave an occasional buffet of Western food. And I've gone months without it so the BBQ's are a real occasional affair for me. I'm not embarrassed to admit it. But a list would be useful to help build up a larger choice because, yes, one would feel guilty about frequenting the same few establishments if just for the "freebies" (and truth be known, most of my mates do tend to spend A LOT of money on their drinks once they discover the place, usually from hearing about the barbecue). BYW, the farangs who shoved their way into the table at Dos Gringo's were NOT teachers but Muay Thai trainees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angiud Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I'm wondering why you want to live in Thailand at the limit of the survival (66 to 100 baht a day for food). I don't say people must eat at restaurant every day, but I hope you have a big reward for the sacrifices you make to have a life here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balo Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I'm wondering why you want to live in Thailand at the limit of the survival (66 to 100 baht a day for food). I don't say people must eat at restaurant every day, but I hope you have a big reward for the sacrifices you make to have a life here. Why not? A simple and easy life , and a daily bowl of rice , can you ask for more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy72 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Have you considered the bins outside restaurants???? JW Marriott's must be corking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starkey_rich Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Sounds like a thread one of our ( missed) banned members might have started. Seems to have rattled a few cages anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiggy Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Everyone needs a hand up every now and then, its when you become dependent/expectant on it that the sympathy for your need to eat free farang food stops. You will then make the move from some one trying to get by with low wages to outright ponce or sponge. As for the teacher on here pleading his case, its not your right to expect this its your choice to live like this.....It makes me laugh they can always afford to go out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdwphuket Posted July 17, 2009 Author Share Posted July 17, 2009 Thanks for the ideas. Do you know which beach is particularly good for clams, shells etc? Get a job! Many jobs provide free food. Also, at low tide, you'll notice many Thai people out collecting clams, shells, crabs, etc. As well as people often seen picking the edible wild plants along the road. HOWEVER: please be aware that the black smoke you see billowing from many Thai people's vehicles ends up feeding those wild plants next to the road and they are very high in sulfur content. Better to pick them in the jungle or away from any road. Also: you may notice many Burmese workers carrying a slingshot in the back pocket. They shoot lizards and birds. As well as out catching frogs after the rain. Easy to get free food in Thailand, but you have to work a bit for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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