PM Opens New Floating Market Near Government House

[Jacob Maslow]

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the opening of the floating market on Thursday. The market promotes the Thai way of living.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced plans to open a temporary floating market near Government House in late January. On Thursday, the PM opened that market along the Khlong Prem Prachakorn canal.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha supervised the opening ceremonies. The market is a collaborative effort by the Thai government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to help preserve and promote the Thai customs and way of living. It will also promote eco-tourism along the canal.

Those who visit the market will find various foods for sale from Bangkok’s districts as well as unique household items. The market will give young Thai citizens a chance to enjoy traditional Thai food and snacks that are hard to find, like Khao Kriab Wow and Khao Kriab Pak Mor.

Market vendors praised the government’s efforts to organize the market, which offered free rent to vendors. For many visitors, the market gave them an opportunity to feel nostalgic and take a trip down memory lane.

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha came up with the idea for the floating market after presiding over the opening of the Orchid Market in late January.

The Orchid Market is another temporary market near Government House that will be open three days a week (Monday through Wednesday) from 9 am to 6 pm for the next three months. That market will give farmers with limited outlets a chance to sell their orchids. Thailand is the second largest exporter of orchids just behind the Netherlands. The PM says the market will help promote orchid trade and could help boost the country’s income by stimulating domestic consummation.

Both the floating market and the orchid market have been successes. The floating market extends from the Orathai Bridge to the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge and will be open daily from 11 am until 7 pm through March 1.

-- 2015-02-15

[Eric Loh]

Probably his biggest achievement after 9 long months. He will be remembered for this.

[ratcatcher]

For God's sake don't fall in the klong.

[rickirs]

If only Gen. Prayuth would put a floating market on every canal. Then they too would be clean and fresh smelling.

[angiolo]

A market on a still water canal ? This ought to bring in a couple of million rich tourists . Oh dear they cannot take their orchids back home.

[khaowong1]

My guess is, if it's free rent, soon there will be so many produce boats that you can walk on them from one side of the canal to the other. If they get to throwing their over ripe produce in the canal, your looking at a large dump in about 6 months. I like the Generals thinking, but I'm thinking he needs to do some more thinking.

[Manbing]

Great Idea, good for tourists who find it difficult getting to the outskirts of Bkk to experience this.