Pak Khlong Talat ( th, ปากคลองตลาด, ;) is a market in Wang Burapha Phirom Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District,

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

, that sells

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

s, and

vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...

s. It is the primary flower market of Bangkok and has been cited as a "place of symbolic value" to Bangkok residents. It is on Chak Phet Road and adjacent side-streets, close to Memorial Bridge. Though the market is open 24 hours, it is busiest before dawn, when boats and trucks arrive with flowers from nearby provinces. Its location by

Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Et ...

near the southern end of Khlong Lot, hence the name 'Pak Khlong Talat', literally means "the market on the mouth of the canal".

History

During the reign of

Rama I Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now Tha ...

(1782–1809), the site was a

floating market A floating market is a market where goods are sold from boats. Originating in times and places where water transport played an important role in daily life, most floating markets operating today mainly serve as tourist attractions, and are chie ...

. By the reign of

Rama V Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร� ...

(1868–1910), it had become a

fish market A fish market is a marketplace for selling fish and fish products. It can be dedicated to wholesale trade between fishermen and fish merchants, or to the sale of seafood to individual consumers, or to both. Retail fish markets, a type of wet ma ...

."Night Shopping"
'Bangkok Post'' (20 April 2006) The fish market was eventually converted to today's produce market, which has existed for over 60 years.Sukphisit, Suthon. "A Tale of Two Markets". ''

Bangkok Post The ''Bangkok Post'' is an English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. It is published in broadsheet and digital formats. The first issue was sold on 1 August 1946. It had four pages and cost one baht, a considerable amount ...

'' (11 November 2006). The market's focus has shifted from produce to flowers as the Talat Thai market on the outskirts of Bangkok has become a more attractive site for produce wholesaling. Most of the flowers sold in the market are delivered from

Nakhon Pathom Nakhon Pathom ( th, นครปฐม, ) is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') in central Thailand, the former capital of Nakhon Pathom province. One of the most important landmarks is the giant Phra Pathommachedi. The city is also home to Thailand's ...

Samut Sakhon Samut Sakhon ( th, สมุทรสาคร, Pronunciation is a City in Thailand, capital of Samut Sakhon province. It is a stop on the Maeklong Railway. Samut Sakhon is 48 km from Bangkok. It is part of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region ...

, and Samut Songkhram Provinces, though flowers that require cooler growing temperatures may come from as far away as

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...

Chiang Rai Chiang Rai ( th, เชียงราย, ; nod, , เจียงฮาย, ) is the northernmost major city in Thailand, with a population of about 200,000 people. It is located in Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai Province. Chiang Rai ...

. The market's produce selection is extensive and is delivered from across the country. The market accommodates both consumers and wholesalers and has a wide variety of customers. Many local

florist Floristry is the production, commerce, and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design and arrangement, merchandising, production, display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers and related sup ...

s visit the market in the early morning hours to stock their shops for the coming day.Kazmin, Amy. "A night of scented breezes". ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

'' (1 May 2004). The urban poor who make a living stringing and selling ''

phuang malai ''Phuang malai'' ( th, พวงมาลัย, ) or ''malai'' (, ) are a Thai form of floral garland. They are often given as offerings or kept for good luck. Origins Phuang malai may be derived from the Tamil word poo maalai which has the ...

'' (flower garlands) buy sacks of

jasmine Jasmine ( taxonomic name: ''Jasminum''; , ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are widely cultiva ...

and marigold blossoms. Though the market is documented in guidebooks, it receives few foreign tourists. In 2016, outdoor vendors at Pak Khlong Talat were forced to move indoors.

Transportation

The market is served by BMTA bus lines: 1, 2, 3, 7ก, 8, 9, 12, 33, 42, 47, 53, 60, 73, 73ก, 82 It is close to Sanam Chai Station on the

MRT MRT may refer to: Transport Rapid Transit Systems * Mass Rapid Transit (disambiguation) * MRT (Singapore) or Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore * MRT (Bangkok) or Metropolitan Rapid Transit, Thailand * Manila Metro Rail Transit System, Philippine ...

's Blue Line, as well as having access to three piers of the

Chao Phraya Express Boat The Chao Phraya Express Boat ( th, เรือด่วนเจ้าพระยา ''Ruea Duan Chao Phraya'') is a transportation service in Thailand operating on the Chao Phraya River. It provides riverine express transportation between stop ...

: Memorial Bridge (N6), Yodpiman (N6/1), and Rajini (N7)

References

{{Bangkok Markets Retail markets in Bangkok Food markets Flower markets category:Buildings and structures on the Chao Phraya River Phra Nakhon district