Bangkok’s Flower Market, Pak Klong Talad

Bangkok’s flower market is one place I knew I didn’t want to miss. I’d never been to a flower auction and was excited about the idea of seeing thousands of flowers in a market dedicated just to them! It might not be everyone’s thing, but it sounded like heaven to me.

I set out in the morning, fully expecting to get lost once again, but this time, my wanderings led me right to it. It must have been meant to be. I’ll share how I got there, as it was really simple. I’ve heard lots of people describe getting to the market as frustrating and complicated, so if I can save anyone that frustration, I’d be happy to do so.

I went during the day, so I took the river ferry to the Pak Khlong Talat stop, not the Rajinee stop. Enter the Yodpiman River Walk building and turn right. When you see the Starbucks, cut through it. Turn right and enter the big yellow building. That’s where the flower market is. You may come upon a bit of a wet market, but keep going and you can’t miss it. Once you’ve looked around inside, walk along the street lining the market and you’ll find many more vendors.

The first thing I noticed was how many golden marigolds there were. They were the predominant flower. Purple orchids, green and pink lotus, tiny white jasmine, clover, and roses were also common. I saw a few mums and peonies as well. I wondered if the marigolds were a New Year flower, but was told it’s a typical flower for offerings and can always be found with abundance at the market.

As I wandered, I worked up the courage to try a phrase I hadn’t used yet, “May I take your photo?” I casually strolled up to a pretty young Thai woman who was working on some amazing arrangements and meekly gave it a go. I got the deer in headlights look. She had no clue. I repeated myself a bit more forcefully and held up my camera. She laughed and nodded. The women around her laughed, so I joined in. Silly white girl trying to speak Thai! They sweetly corrected me until I got the phrase right. And I took my photos. In all my nervousness, I didn’t notice that I had shifted a dial on my camera and everything was two stops underexposed. Damn! Oh, well, there was plenty more to shoot.

I wandered around the market repeating my phrase to endless looks of confusion. I repeated it holding up my camera and the smiles would come. People were so friendly and gracious. It boosted my confidence and I explored happily.

Every person I photographed in the market, I asked permission of. Not one person said no. We would have laughs and smiles, but ironically, as soon as my camera came out, they would busy themselves. No more smiles. They became so shy. Friendly, but shy. I guess I can I relate to that. Then as soon as the camera was down and I was stumbling through “Thank you,” they were all smiles again. Oh, well. My next trick will be to learn how to keep them smiling throughout the process. Perhaps it’s time to learn a Thai joke or two.

You’ll find the market along the river on the edge of Chinatown. It is open 24 hours a day and is most busy in the wee hours of the morning when the flowers arrive from nearby towns.