Rim Moei Market

Rim Moei Market lines the Moei River in Mae Sot, directly opposite Myawaddy, Myanmar. Traders sell gemstones — jade, ruby, coloured stones — alongside dried bamboo shoots, dried fish (including “hua yung,” or Bombay duck), shiitake mushrooms, leather goods and satin fabrics from both sides of the border. It’s free to enter, open daily roughly 07:30-18:30, though trade has thinned noticeably since 2025.

What to Expect

This is a working cross-border trading market, not a curated tourist bazaar — stalls of varying permanence selling goods that have crossed the river from Myanmar alongside Thai produce. Gemstones are the headline draw: jade and ruby dealers here trade in stones that have come out of Myanmar’s mines, and bargaining is standard practice. Beyond the gem counters, expect dried and preserved foods, leather goods, and bolts of satin and silk fabric, priced for locals as much as visitors.

Atmosphere & Timing

The market has taken repeated hits recently. Thai measures aimed at cutting power, fuel and internet supply to scam-centre operations across the river in Myawaddy — in force since early 2025 — have gutted the cross-border trade this market depends on; local reporting put revenue down by a factor of ten from pre-2025 levels, with some stalls shuttered and quieter foot traffic than the market saw for years. Flooding along the Moei River in mid-2025 also damaged shops directly on the bank. The market still runs daily, but it’s a thinner, quieter version of what older travel write-ups describe — don’t expect the bustle some guides still promise.

Practical

Rim Moei sits at the western end of Mae Sot, by the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge border crossing. It’s an easy tuk-tuk or songthaew ride from central Mae Sot. Cash (THB) is standard; Myanmar kyat isn’t typically needed on the Thai side.

Insider Tip: Go for the gemstones only if you know roughly what you’re looking at — asking prices for jade and ruby swing wildly, and there’s no fixed-price system to fall back on.

Watch out: Border conditions here have been volatile since 2025 — power/fuel cutoff measures, intermittent crossing closures on the Myanmar side, and flood damage have all hit the market in the past year or so. Check current conditions locally before making Rim Moei the centrepiece of a Mae Sot trip; it’s worth a stop, not a special detour.

Pair it with the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge next door, or Nangyong Klongyarm Market for a second Mae Sot market stop. The Tak hub covers the rest of the province’s border towns and waterfalls.