Pak Khlong Talat: Bangkok's Flower Market That Never Sleeps

Today we're taking you for a walk around Pak Khlong Talat, a happy place for flower lovers that you can explore all day and all night. Everywhere you turn there are flowers of every kind. Whatever you're looking for, Pak Khlong Talat has it. Just seeing all these flowers lifts your mood.

When you think of Bangkok's most famous flower market, "Pak Khlong Talat" is probably one of the first names that pops into your head. But COVID-19 left the colorful flowers in the shops, and the spirits of the traders here, wilting. So we at Meeting Point want to invite everyone to wander all around Pak Khlong Talat: find flowers you love, eat good food and visit the landmarks of the area, and help bring some joy and smiles back to the local community.

Pak Khlong Talat was set up as a central fruit and vegetable market and later became a major flower trading hub, said to be the fourth largest in the world. It's divided into 3 main zones:

1. The old market (run by the Marketing Organization, a state market under the Ministry of Interior)
2. Yodpiman Market, a private market with a long promenade along the Chao Phraya River, lovely views, restaurants and a shopping center
3. The Thai agricultural promotion market (Talat Songsoem Kaset Thai), a private market

For us, just walking around looking at flowers is a joy. Pak Khlong was less hectic than usual this time, perhaps because most of the vendors who used to sell along the sidewalks have moved to a new location. There are still flower shops in the shophouses and a few small stalls scattered along the sidewalk. But the market's nighttime charm is still here. If you come to see the flowers at night, the market is always awake, because traders from all over come to buy flowers to resell. That's why the shops stay open through the night. Strolling among beautiful flowers in the cool night air made us feel so much better.

Besides daytime visits, if you're looking for somewhere to walk at night, come to Pak Khlong Talat after dark and see how people here live and work. You'll find the small charms of a flower market that never sleeps. The market sits at the mouth of the old city moat canal and dates back to the early Rattanakosin period. Its great location drew people to sell vegetables, fruit and seafood here, until about 60 years ago (when it shifted toward flowers). Getting here is easy: take the MRT underground to Sanam Chai station.

By boat, take the Chao Phraya Express Boat on the Wat Rajsingkorn to Nonthaburi line, get off at Memorial Bridge (Saphan Phut) pier and walk to Pak Khlong Talat.

Pak Khlong Talat information

Address: Chakkraphet Road, Wang Burapha Phirom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200

Map: https://goo.gl/maps/KBe273jkATxax2RXA

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Author Meeting Point Management Team, MBA มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ MBA University of Technology Sydney (UTS) DBA มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ Editorial Team

The Meeting Point management team loves eating, travelling, temple visits and lifestyle. We pick the restaurants, cafes, stays, attractions and temples we have visited ourselves and write about them honestly.