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Updated Tuesday, August 17, 2010 9:40 am TWN, The China Post news staff



	The two popular nightspots were going head-to-head in the polls when Liuho beat Shilin by a hair in the “best food” category. (CNA) More Photos (2)

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Liuho Night Market voted Taiwan's best

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Kaohsiung City's Liuho Night Market was yesterday crowned Taiwan's Best Night Market overall in an online poll conducted by the Tourism Bureau, although a misunderstanding with voting regulations caused some online voters to challenge the credibility of the poll results.

Liuho beat out every other night market in all six categories, including “most popular,” “most environmentally friendly,” “most visitor-friendly,” “most interesting,” “easiest to shop,” and “best food.”

The online poll is an effort made by the Tourism Bureau to promote night market culture to tourists. The night market promotion started with travel agents and other tourism industry insiders selecting 10 major night markets nationwide.

The top 10 were then entered into an online poll conducted between July 20 and Aug. 15.

At the start of the competition, the bureau had imposed online requirements stating that one night market could only be nominated for two categories. However, online voters misunderstood the regulations and ended up clicking on their favorite nightspots for all. Liuho Night Market ended up first on all six categories.

The glitch caused a similar pattern with the runners up. In second place across all six categories is Taipei's Shilin Night Market. Luodong Night Market in Yilan County won third place overall.

Shilin Night Market was in the lead for a period, before the about-face win of Liuho Night Market. The Apply Daily even prematurely announced that Shilin had won “best food” before the top spot was once again snatched by the Kaohsiung City night market.

Online voters yesterday voiced their frustrations at the lack of clarity on the polling website. Shilin Night Market was supposedly nominated only for “most interesting” and “easiest to shop,” one voter complained. Had they known, they would've focused all their clicks on those two spots instead of making a bunch of dummy votes, he added.

Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin had been a vocal supporter and promoter of the Taipei City night markets during the poll. Although he had urged the public on TV to remember to vote, he did not mention the regulations about the two categories.

In response to the criticism, tourism officials said that the online voting accounted for only 20 percent in each race. After the poll, the bureau will invite seven “mystery” food critics who will account for 60 percent of the final score in the last round of the night market competition. The scores will be summed up and the results announced on Aug. 25.

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