Say Goodbye to Bangkok’s Famous Tha Prachan Amulet Market
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


The Tha Prachan amulet market in a 2009 photo. Photo: Vasenka Photography / Flickr

BANGKOK — A world famous amulet market featured in just about every Bangkok travel guide will cease to exist this weekend.

The amulet street market located between Tha Prachan and Tha Chang near the Grand Palace in one of the most heavily visited areas of the city is being cleared out, the district chief said, because city hall had received too many complaints about traffic.

All stalls located in the area were told to move out by Sunday.

“It also included those seven or eight street food restaurants,” Somchai Tripittayakul, Phra Nakhon district chief, said of the order.

In line with the junta policy to reclaim public space and “reorganize” the capital, calls to shutter the bustling Tha Prachan street market have come several times from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, or BMA, since July 2014.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1448540545&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2015-11-27

I imagine that commercial or condo 'redevelopment' has already been lined up.

But, but where do I get my protection from knives and bullets now?

The mountain of amulets could not protect themselves...

They seem to be destroying it because it's too popular. I've nothing to say about this that wouldn't send me to jail for breaking an assortment of laws in this country, so I'll shut up.

NOT GOING TO BE MANY old places to go anymore

I wonder if it is the MRT extension that is being built through Chinatown is pushing this "clean-Up"

and making property values rise

The junta produces more and more unemployees but does not over a job for those.

They say, the unemployment quote is only 0.8 %. No way. it is about 8 to 12%.

The soul of Bangkok life is on the street. Are they trying to drive everybody into shopping malls or what?

The junta produces more and more unemployees but does not over a job for those.

They say, the unemployment quote is only 0.8 %. No way. it is about 8 to 12%.

They can give any figure they like because there is no system of registering the unemployed as there is in Western countries. Maybe you are doing the same. On what do you base your figure of 8-12%?

Sad to see this.

making the poor poorer and the rich richer.

The elites of Bangkok are having their five minutes of fame.....again.

another landmark bites the dust when will they learn these places bring in custom and are also frequented by tourists the business of reclaiming public land is of secondary importance soon there will be nothing for tourists to come here for the powers that be have to get it right .

That is a real disappointment, over years I have loved walking thru that market. A shame. It really is short sighted on the PM's part. It is "world famous". Many more Thais visited the market than tourists or Expats, it will be a shame for them that it is gone. All major cities have their "flea market" areas, and this was one of the Big Mango's flea markets. Paris is a good example with its book stalls and street artists. Why didn't they just relocate it to a more accessible area ? Guess that takes foresight. Just another cog ripped out of the machine that one made Bangkok great. Thanks Mr. P. Yes, we know you like plate glass, chrome and concrete.

....another market gone....Bangkok is fast losing it's appeal........to wander thru these street markets is 10 times better.....10 times cheaper priced stuff....10 times more choices... and 10 times more of a chance to "talk/interact with the local thai folk".......than any of these horrible "shopping malls" that blot the Bangkok landscape.

Traffic problems are forcing the closure?...BS............the whole of Bangkok has "traffic problems"....!!!!

Pretty soon they will have the new "Singapore" and an unemployment problem and the social ills that goes along with it.

But, but where do I get my protection from knives and bullets now?

Well.I guess that you will have to bend over,put your head between your legs,and kiss your azz good by.

But, but where do I get my protection from knives and bullets now?

Don't laugh, but I haven't been shot, blown up or stabbed since I got mine years ago, carry it in my shirt pocket..............just sayin

Sukumvit 11 food stalls never banned even taking walkway like their own.

It's to go along with all the high end shopping malls nobody visits.

The mountain of amulets could not protect themselves...

That's the wittiest thing I've read here in months lol. +3

At Esplanade they have some ridiculous activity outside in the evenings, I don't recall what's its named. It's faux flea marketish then they've added "food trucks". The whole thing is either a parody of the Thai street scene or hipster marketing on acid.

Take some really great street culture, add vanilla, run it through the blender of banality and money. Serve, luke warm.

I've no idea why people come here anymore...

Sad to see this.

making the poor poorer and the rich richer.

The PDRC called it ' padthiroop ' ................. reform. All Thai people approve of this. We know because Suthep told us so.

At Esplanade they have some ridiculous activity outside in the evenings, I don't recall what's its named. It's faux flea marketish then they've added "food trucks". The whole thing is either a parody of the Thai street scene or hipster marketing on acid.

Take some really great street culture, add vanilla, run it through the blender of banality and money. Serve, luke warm.

I've no idea why people come here anymore...

In Macau, there's a casino that is a copy of a casino in Las Vegas that is a copy of Venice. Reality sucks, you know. It's all about that pink sugar coating

Hi all i just want to check, is this thai amulet market really close down?? Cos i was thinking of going to visit the market