C
olorful flowers brighten
up the greys around every
corner in Bangkok, but it’s
not just because they look
nice. Flowers play a pivotal role in
the ancient Thai tradition of making
offerings to spirits and sacred statues.
Bangkok’s biggest flower market, Pak
Khlong Talaad, is at the center of this
tradition, and it’s a fun place to soak
up the colors and aromas.
Bangkok Flower Market is the
biggest wholesale and retail fresh
flower market in Bangkok. The market
has all kinds of popular flowers and
flora-related items, including roses,
forget me not’s, orchids, lilies and
more. Most of the flowers are sold in
packs of 50 or 100 each, and prices are
amazingly cheap.
Some flower vendors specialize
in classic bundles of roses and other
bouquets in every possible color.
Most vendors are wholesalers, so
it’s possible to pick up two dozen
gorgeous, freshly picked red roses for
just 80 baht.
While most of the flowers at Pak
Khlong Talaad are grown in the
provinces nearest Bangkok, especially
Nakhon Pathom, rarer varieties like
tulips are shipped from as far afield as
the northern mountains of Chiang Rai,
and you can even bargain for an aweinspiring array of freshly cut orchids
that will cost something like 1/50 of
what they would in Europe or the
United States.
Part of the Old City, Bangkok
Flower market is located on Chak
Phet Road near Saphan Phut or the
Memorial Bridge. Shops and vendors
are housed inside two to three-storey
shop-houses on both sides of the
main road. The market lies just south
of Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining
Buddha) and has access to a river pier,
so it makes for a great one-day trip
when combined with other historical
attractions in the Old City.
Open 24 hours, Pak Klong Talad is
most lively after midnight. If you want
to see the market in full action though
the best time to go is pre-dawn or at
3:00-4:00. This is when the roadside
transforms into a kaleidoscope of
bright, blooming colors, as vendors
receive floral goods from each flowergrowing area in the country.
Wholesalers bring in truckloads of
freshly cut flowers, while traders and
retailers come to buy their stock in
bulk. It can be quite a chaotic scene,
and vendors may be less patient when
Feb 15 - Mar 15 , 2015
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