tHALANG

Exotic skewered bugs and barbecued meats surround the tourists-trap souvenir shops here in old town Phuket. And on a rainy Sunday afternoon as we passed through it, we stumbled into tHALANG #31. This cafe and it’s attractive interiors caught our eye, sticking out from the chaos that surrounds it. With an interesting counter as the focal point of the shop, this serves as both the service bar and as a seating area. We later learned that the layout is a legacy from when this spot was an old pharmacy. That legacy is a cue taken from the building itself, which you can tell is old but well preserved. All the store fronts around it were brightly painted and effective tourist attractions. At the time of our visit, the shop was full of people carrying shopping bags of souvenirs looking for a spot for a quick rest. Others held up cameras and people-watched out the front. But most were there as we were: simply to enjoy cold drinks and chill out.