Colorful 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 awe-inspiring 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 flower-growing 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 dealing with visitors. If you go during this period, it’s best to just observe and absorb the surrounding atmosphere.
The market has a long history. During the reign of Rama I (1782–1809), a floating market took place on the site of the modern Pak Khlong Talad; by the reign of Rama V (1868–1910), it had changed to a fish market. The fish market was eventually converted to today’s produce market, which has existed for over 60 years. The market’s focus has shifted from produce to flowers as the Talat Thai market on the outskirts of Bangkok has become a more attractive site for produce wholesaling.
The market accommodates both consumers and wholesalers and has a wide variety of customers. Many local florists visit the market in the early morning hours to stock their shops for the coming day. Though the market is documented in guidebooks, it receives few foreign tourists.