🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Mae Sot is a border town where people from both sides have crossed back and forth to trade for generations, so the food and snacks have blended into the charm of the place. Rim Moei Market is about 6–7 km from Mae Sot town, right next to the Thai–Myanmar Friendship Bridge. You can't walk there from town, but you can catch a songthaew (shared pickup truck) from the in-town market and get off right in front of it, every day. The market runs roughly 08:00–18:00, and the fresh and dried goods are busiest from late morning into the afternoon.
The goods here come from the Thai side, the Myanmar side, and some Chinese products mixed in too. Most prices are negotiable — if you buy several things or a whole bag, you usually get a discount. Bring cash in small notes, since many stalls don't take transfers and making change can be awkward.
Burmese Food You Have to Try at the Market
Walk into the market and you'll find Burmese food stalls scattered in several spots — some are pushcarts, some are tiny shophouse rooms. Most Burmese dishes are bold, fragrant with spices, and heavy on beans. These are the ones you'll run into most often and that are most worth a try.
Mohinga (Burmese fish-broth noodles)
Myanmar's national breakfast — rice noodles drenched in a fish broth simmered with banana stem and seasoned with shrimp paste, ginger, lemongrass, and ground beans. The flavor lands sweet-sour-salty and well balanced, finished with crispy fried beans and chili flakes. This is the first dish to try if you come to the market in the morning.
Laphet thoke (fermented tea leaf salad)
Myanmar's fermented tea leaf salad, tossed with fried garlic, peanuts, sesame, tomato, and cabbage. The taste is sour, slightly bitter, and oddly aromatic in a way that's hard to find in Thailand. If you like unusual flavors, this one's a must.
Khanom jeen khayum
Rice noodles grabbed into clumps and tossed with a Burmese-style broth and seasonings — a dish Mae Sot locals eat for breakfast regularly. The old-timer Khanom Jeen Khayum clay-pot coffee shop in town is known for it, served alongside som tam and fried chicken.
Ohn no khao swè (Burmese coconut noodles)
Noodles in a thick coconut broth with chicken — rich and fragrant — topped with boiled egg, fried shallots, and crispy noodles. It's like khao soi but sweeter and richer, a dish Thai palates take to quickly.
Burmese fried dough (e-kya kway) with Burmese tea
Long, crispy Burmese-style fried dough sticks, dipped in hot tea with condensed milk. It's an easy breakfast you can find at the drink stalls out front of the market, and very cheap.
Clay-oven roti & Mae Sot coffee
Mae Sot has long been known for the roti and morning coffee of its Thai–Indian vendors. The roti is crisp outside, soft inside, drizzled with condensed milk, and eaten with hot coffee — found both in town and at shops near the market. A breakfast you shouldn't skip.
Tip
A lot of Burmese food is intensely flavored and heavy on spices. If you're unsure, order a small plate or ask the vendor for a taste first — many stalls are happy to let you sample, especially the salads and chili dips.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Tak food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Rim Moei Dried Goods to Carry Home
The real star of Rim Moei Market is the dried goods. Walk in and you'll find piles of dried fish, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, and all kinds of beans laid out in long rows. Prices are lower than a regular market because the goods come straight from the border — great for taking home to cook with or as gifts.
- Dried shrimp & dried fish — from tiny dried shrimp to giant freshwater prawns, tiger prawns, and many kinds of dried fish from the Myanmar side. Pick ones that are fully dry and nicely colored, and that smell fragrant rather than musty.
- Shiitake & dried bamboo shoots — thick-capped shiitake and dried bamboo shoots are best sellers here, reasonably priced; buy a bag and you can haggle.
- Roasted & fried beans — many kinds, both roasted and fried, good for snacking or cooking.
- Shrimp paste, pla ra & Burmese chili paste (ngapi) — bold Burmese seasonings. If you're carrying them on a flight, wrap them up tightly because the smell is strong.
Choosing dried goods that are worth it
Judge dried goods simply by dryness and smell. If it feels damp to the touch or smells musty, move on to another stall. And don't forget to ask the price per kilo before you scoop a bag — some stalls set prices based on the customer's face.
Border Spices and Seasonings
Toward the inner part of the market are stalls selling Burmese spices you generally can't find elsewhere in Thailand — masala, Burmese-recipe curry powder, turmeric, dried chilies of various grades, and ground beans for making mohinga. If you like to cook, you can pick up border recipes here for cheap and get ingredients the in-town market doesn't carry.
Curry powder & Burmese masala
A Burmese–Indian spice blend, deeply fragrant, used for Burmese curries or stir-fries. Buy a small bag to try first.
Dried chili, turmeric & ground beans
The staples of a Burmese kitchen, cheap. Choose bags that are tightly sealed and bright in color.
Packaged fermented tea leaf (laphet)
Buy it to make laphet thoke yourself at home, or as an unusual gift for someone who loves Burmese food.
Fruit and Sweets Out Front
Out front of the market and along the roadside are seasonal fruit stalls — both Thai fruit and produce sent over from Myanmar, cheaper than in town. You can graze as you walk, and there are several Burmese sweets to try too.
- Seasonal fruit — mango, longan, durian, rambutan, and Burmese fruit sent across the border, all reasonably priced when in season.
- Peanut brittle candy (Burmese thua tat) — a hugely popular gift from Myanmar, peanuts coated in crisp, sweet sugar. Starts around ฿38 a pack, easy to carry and keeps a long time.
- Burmese lime candy — brightly colored sweet-sour candy, sold in small bags, cheap.
- Pickled & dried fruit — pickled mango, tamarind, and dried fruit tossed in chili-salt — a sharp, sour snack to eat as you walk.
Non-Food Souvenirs (That People Still Love to Grab)
Beyond food, Rim Moei Market is also known for several souvenirs, in case you want to bring something home besides dried goods.
- Thanaka powder — the Burmese face-paste made from thanaka bark, said to control oil and reduce acne. Cheap, and sold as logs, powder, and cream. A year-round favorite gift.
- Gems — jade, ruby & sapphire — Rim Moei Market is a trading spot for jade, rubies, and colored stones from Myanmar. If you're not an expert, treat it as fun browsing rather than serious buying, since real and fake are hard to tell apart.
- Satin fabric & teak woodwork — fabric, leather goods, and carved teak from the Myanmar side. Pick a piece you like and haggle.
Be careful with gems
The jade and stones at the market come both genuine and dyed. If you're not a real gem person, don't drop a big sum — buying a small piece as a keepsake is the safer move.
Making the Most of Rim Moei Market
- Go in the late morning — around 09:00–11:00, when fresh and dried goods are all out, the crowds haven't filled in, and the sun isn't too harsh.
- Bring small-note cash — many stalls don't take transfers, and you can haggle if you buy several things.
- Leave time for the Friendship Bridge — the market sits right by the Thai–Myanmar bridge, with pretty photos along the Moei River.
- Wrap strong-smelling items well — shrimp paste, pla ra, and dried fish should go in zip bags or boxes before a long trip.
Plan a full day in Mae Sot and Tak, eating your way through both Burmese and northern Thai food
See the Tak travel guide →