Wang Lang flea market, at Siriraj Pier, is packed daily with all sorts of cheap goods. But it’s its second-hand shoes that have made this market popular—just like the ones sold by Kinfhar Noijai (Jae), who has been tending to the feet of Bangkokians for 10 years.

BK: What inspired you to do this job?

Jae: My family were tailors. I had to deliver clothes to Wang Lang market. Meanwhile my friend sold second-hand shoes at the market. She recommended I do the same. I did it for a month and I got a lot of profit. Then I decided to do it permanently.
I live with my family and now they are all in this business.
I have two stalls in this same soi: my father is in charge of one, and my mother is in charge of the other.

BK: Where do you get the shoes from?

Jae: I get them from Rong Klue Market in Aranyaprated. Before
we, think sellers in this soi, shared a bus to go to Rong Klue, but now we all can afford a car, so we drive our own car to the market. We are all friends. When you’re there, you have to select ones in good condition: there are grades A, B and C. I get 2,500 pairs at a time and I can sell them for two weeks.

BK: How do you select items on sale?

Jae: I select fashionable items and high-heeled shoes for girls and Converse shoes for boys. I keep updated on fashion trends from teenage magazines like Knock Knock and CLEO.

BK: How much do you get them for?

Jae: It depends on the quality. Quality pairs, especially brand names, can cost around B400-500. But for my shops, I select those that cost only around B40-100.

BK: How much profit do you get in one month?

Jae: I sell every pair for only one price, B100. At the end of the month I give discounts of B100 for 2 pairs. In total, I get approximately B200,000 a month. During the 10 days of my discount period, I make around B100,000!

BK: Do you believe in the second-hand curse?

Jae: I have sold shoes for 10 years and never saw it face-to-face. So I believe that it’s not real. It’s just a rumor. But there once was a seller here who hung herself in this soi. I have never seen her ghost but one vendor saw it. So all the sellers put up a shrine in front of this soi. And I am here only from 10am to 5pm, and have never stayed until dark.

BK: What’s the best thing about your job?

Jae: It’s a job that makes huge earnings. So I can take care of my dad and mom, and support my sister’s education.

BK: What kind of customer makes you upset?

Jae: I meet different kinds of people every day. Once, I met strange customers who tried on many pairs of shoes and still complained that the shoes were dirty and expensive. I was frustrated and wanted to kick them out. But they are my customers, so I couldn’t do anything.