Phraya

About this board game

Phraya is a commodity-speculation and pick-up-and-deliver board game for 2–4 players, with an approximate play time of 120 minutes. Set on Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, it brings players to a century-old floating market filled with merchants traveling between stalls in their own boats.

Water markets were once centers of economic activity, and Phraya invites you to relive the experience of one of these ancient merchants. Move from stall to stall, trade commodities, and look for the best prices as you manage your business across the bustling market.

The market offers more than buying and selling. Players can make offerings at the temples in hopes of winning Buddha’s favor, adding a spiritual dimension to their commercial pursuits. They can also buy their own stalls and establish places from which to do business.

• Trade commodities between floating market stalls
• Speculate while seeking the best prices
• Make offerings in temples to win Buddha’s favor
• Buy stalls to conduct your own business
• Approach the king’s barge

These activities capture the varied opportunities of life on the river, where commerce, temples, personal enterprise, and royal presence all meet. The floating market provides the setting for a game centered on movement, trading, and the delivery of goods from one location to another.

Released in 2022, Phraya offers a focused way to experience the atmosphere of Bangkok’s historic water markets through its combination of commodity speculation, pick-up-and-deliver play, temple offerings, stall ownership, and the possibility of approaching the king’s barge.