Market launched to honor HM The King

PHUKET CITY: An open-air market is being held from 9 am until midnight at Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Rd as part of the activities being held around the island to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of HM The King’s ascension of the throne.

The market, organized by the Phuket Provincial Commercial Office (PPCO) and the Phuket Market Vendors’ Association, opened on Saturday and will continue until Friday, which is a public holiday.

The market is being held under the banner “Blue Flag Market”, as blue is the color traditionally used to identify markets featuring good with inexpensive, government-subsidized prices

Available at the market is fresh produce, including rice, eggs, sugar and meat, as well as household utensils, clothes, electrical appliances and Phuket OTOP (One Tambon One Product) goods.

Somphot Sungkapong of the PPCO explained that the market is aimed at low-to-average income earners as, he said, “Part of the PPCO’s reason for staging the market is the spiraling fuel prices that have affected everybody.”

“Retailers from Charoen Pokphand Group and Saha Patana Piboon PLC have agreed to sell their products at zero-profit prices, which is about 20% cheaper than normal,” he added.

Each night of the market has live on-stage entertainment performed by local students.

[For information about more events being held to honor HM The King’s Diamond Jubilee, see here.]

Similar Blue Flag markets are being held in provincial capitals across the country. The market will return to Queen Sirikit Park again on July 1 and 2.

In the meantime the Phuket Provincial Business Development Office has launched a sticker campaign to celebrate the event.

The stickers, which feature an image of the illuminated Royal Throne and the words “We Love The King” in Thai, are available at the BDO office on Sakdidet Soi 1 at a minimum donation of 10 baht each.

All proceeds from sales of the stickers will be given to the Provincial Governor’s Office to be passed on to a Royal Foundation.

For more information call the BDO at Tel: 076-211584.