I'll be visiting Japan soon, and a friend there wants be to bring her some "saffron" from Thailand. She was in Bangkok a couple years ago and we went to the night market near Lumpini Park, where she bought a bag of fake saffron. Real saffron is very expensive, and I doubted the quality of this 50 - 100 ? gram bag that, as I recall. only cost a few hundred baht. I have now Googled fake saffron, and found that what she bought, was almost certainly, safflower, which has the same color, but not much, if any, flavor.

Is this fake saffron available in Pattaya, or will I need to go to Bangkok?

Bonus questions:

1. Anyone know the going price, either in Pattaya or in Bangkok?

2. Should I tell her that it is not real saffron?

You're right if it ain't expensive it can't possibly be real saffron. On the other hand, I'm sure lots of people pay the price for real saffron and don't get it.

Never seen but interested. Is is Chinese fake?

Its definitely Safflower.

Normally its sold along with other spices.

Try the street vendors that hang about Pattaya Tai on Tuesday and Fridays, they normally have a few bags of it.

Cant remember seeing any inside the market itself lately.

You could also try the small night market at the Dolphin Roundabout, that caters to the Dusit crowd.

Sold every Tuesday & Friday @ Soi Bukhao market... first row, diagonally opposite the big eyeglasses shop. Probably sold at Theprasit weekend night market, too.

I was in the old Mike Department Store (not mall) yesterday and they have packets of "Saffron" for 250 baht a packet.