Asia is exciting, extraordinary and – one would hardly believe it – very close. Anyone who has ever beento a marketin China , Vietnam or Thailand knows that. In the vicinity of Bangkok , the merchants of the “Mae Klong” must regularly bring their goods to safety, otherwise it will be flattened.
Tarpaulins are moved in, baskets of fruit and vegetables are stashed away, nothing is allowed to stand on the rails anymore. Rails? Yes, there are rails on the Mae Klong market in Thailand and they are used on a regular basis. Visitors marvel at the unusual spectacle, which repeats itself several times a day. Whenever the railway announces itself with a loud whistle, the dealers start to clear their goods out of the way. Because on the “Railway Market” market and train share an alley.
The market is mobile
That’s because the market has been in place for over 100 years. The construction of the railway line was apparently no reason for the locals to move. A railway line could not prevent the Thais from doing their business as usual. It has been arranged. Numerous stalls are set up in the dense crowd, offering juicy mangoes, fresh lychees and warm dishes all that the (tourist) heart desires.
So if you want to combine a market stroll with an exciting train ride, this is the place for you. In Maha Chai one climbs the “slow train” to Mae Klong. Theoretically, although there are departure times – the train runs eight times a day – in practice punctuality fanatics but have patience, because the train rarely runs at the times indicated. After an hour you reach the market – and can now wait for the next train, which announces itself with a whistle and then leisurely on the market zuckelt.