Before the sound of Nene Royal’s guitar reached America’s Got Talent in 2026, the place that shaped her performing skills was not a recording studio or a concert hall. It was a street market in Phuket, with food smells in the air, crowds moving past, and a small live music stage that gave nothing back unless you earned it.
Naka Weekend Market, known locally as Talad Tai Rot, sits on Wirat Hongyok Road in Wichit subdistrict, Mueang Phuket district, near Naka Temple and Central Phuket.
It is one of the island’s largest weekend night markets, bringing together local food, street food, clothing, secondhand goods, handmade crafts, souvenirs and live music in one sprawling space. Saturday and Sunday evenings draw a mix of locals, Thai tourists and international visitors looking for food and live entertainment.
Naka Market: where Nene Royal started busking
Nene Royal, whose full name is Praew Rattikarn Amloi, began learning to sing and play guitar at around seven years old and started busking for the first time at eight or nine.
From those early performances to crowds of passing strangers, she gradually built stage experience at markets and local venues across Phuket before forming OZONE Band with fellow young musicians and playing Naka Market regularly.
A street market stage has no judges and no scoring system. The audience can walk away at any moment if the performance does not hold them. Every song becomes a real rehearsal in choosing material, controlling sound, reading the crowd and solving problems in real time.
Nene has spoken about how busking at Naka Market helped her discover she genuinely wanted to be on stage. Performing in front of real crowds week after week also helped a naturally shy person become a performer who could command a stage the moment the music started.
After becoming known through AGT, she returned to Naka Market several times, including mini-concerts on July 11 and 12, and a farewell concert on August 16, 2026, before heading back to the United States. Fans and tourists packed the area in front of the stage for both.
From Zombie to a Golden Buzzer the whole world watched
Nene Royal opened her America’s Got Talent Season 21 audition with Zombie by The Cranberries. The combination of raw vocal power and guitar technique earned a Yes from all four judges. In the Judges’ Callbacks round, she performed Hysteria by Muse, advancing to the live shows.
For the semi-final, she chose Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden, a performance that led Mel B, former member of the Spice Girls, to hit the Golden Buzzer, sending Nene directly to the AGT 2026 finals without waiting for a public vote.
What Naka Weekend Market has to offer
The market is divided into several zones. Allow one to two hours to walk through properly, because the food zone alone raises one of life’s important questions: eat the roti first or save space for the grilled seafood?
Street food zone
The busiest part of the market covers Thai and international food, including grilled seafood, fried pork, grilled chicken, fish balls, sushi, pad thai, roti, fresh fruit, blended drinks, local Phuket desserts and fried insects for those who want to try something beyond the usual. The food zone was renovated in 2026 with additional seating and wider walkways, making it easier to buy from several stalls and share between the group.
Clothing and secondhand zone
The other side of the market carries fashion clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, T-shirts, collectables, electronics and secondhand goods. Better for browsing than a shopping mall, and prices reflect it.
Souvenirs and handmade crafts zone
Visitors can find reasonably priced souvenirs including local products, home decoration items, handmade goods and Phuket-themed pieces. Nothing exotic, but a practical option for picking up gifts without going to a tourist shop.
Live music zone
The stage area near the food seating has rotating live acts through the evening. This is where Nene and OZONE Band played regularly. The performance schedule changes week to week, and Nene does not play every weekend the market is open. Check the market’s social media pages before travelling if live music is the main reason for the visit.
Opening hours and how to get there
Address: Wirat Hongyok Road, Wichit, Mueang Phuket, Phuket 83000
Weekend market: Saturday and Sunday from approximately 4pm, with stalls closing between 10pm and 11pm
Weekday street food zone: Open approximately 4pm to 9pm
Admission: Free
Distance from Phuket Town: Approximately 3 kilometres
Distance from Patong Beach: Approximately 15 kilometres
Transport: Private car, motorcycle, taxi, ride-hailing app or tuk-tuk
The most comfortable time to arrive is between 4.30pm and 6pm, when there is still daylight and the crowds have not peaked. For live music, arriving after 7pm gives a better atmosphere, but allow extra time for traffic and parking, especially on evenings with featured artists or special events.
Wear light, breathable clothing and comfortable walking shoes. Phuket can rain at any time of year, so a foldable umbrella or a thin rain jacket is worth carrying to avoid cutting the evening short.
Naka Market may look like a standard large night market at first glance, but Nene Royal’s story turns the small stage inside it into something worth seeking out for anyone who loves music. Coming here is not just about following a famous name.
It is about seeing the kind of space where local children and musicians can test themselves in front of a real audience. On a good night, the person playing on that stage might be the next one to appear on a global stage a few years from now.
The story Naka Weekend Market Phuket: the street stage that shaped Nene Royal before she reached the AGT finals as seen on Thaiger News.
