Bangkok Flower Market

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http://www.heygo.com 19th February - Bangkok Flower Market

Well it had to be done ! It was a 4am start but so worth it.



The Bangkok Flower Market (Pak Khlong Talat in Thai), is Thailand’s largest wholesale flower market and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some say that Pak Khlong Talat is now one of the world’s largest flower markets.



We started with our tour guide Kay, a lovely guy, on Memorial Bridge, a green and beige bascule bridge built over the Chao Phraya River. It was inaugurated in 1932 by King Rama VII, commissioned to mark the 150th anniversary of the Chakri Dynasty. Hence it is named after the first king of the dynasty.



First we came to a busy street lined with flower shops, a real feast for the eyes and no doubt an amazing scent in the air too.

Local Thai flowers – jasmine, chrysanthemum, gerbera, orchids, lilies, roses and more. Most of the flowers are grown in the provinces nearest to Bangkok . More rare species like tulips are shipped from northern Thailand provinces.



Inside the covered market even more hustle & bustle where we saw funeral tributes being created, and Phuang Malai – an ancient Thai art that entails tediously threading a needle through tiny buds repeatedly until something worthy of being offered to a god has been created.

Baisri cone-shaped flower offerings made by adding chrysanthemum and other buds to rolled-up banana and pandan leaves. The shape of Baisri is meant to represent Mount Meru, the center of the universe in Hinduism.



Apparently the best tіme tо visit іs around 03:00 when boats аnd trucks arrive wіth flowers frоm surrounding provinces of frоm 20:00 onwards when the market іs beautifully illuminated аnd even livelier.



At the point where two canals meet the Chao Phraya River, it is thought that a floating market a began operating at the site in the early 18th century. The market eventually evolved into a fixed fresh produce market, a fish market, and eventually became the number-one place for all floral needs some 60 years ago.

Sadly, the historic street flower market was closed down in February 2016, as part of wider moves by the local authorities to remove vendors from the pavements of Bangkok.



Vendors at the original market were able to relocate to several places around the city, including Yodpiman Flower Market that we visited today.

Well I was back in bed by 5am having enjoyed a wonderful flower fix in Bangkok.

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