The 100 Year Old Market

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I’ve been in Suphanburi for around three years but had failed to venture to this very well-known market located just 30km from Suphanburi’s provincial town. Almost a sin and a once in a year phenomenon, I got up at the hellishly early hour of 7 o’clock on a glorious day-off! Setting off soon after with my flashy new digital camera which the wife has been pampering more than me lately, we jumped on a bus heading in the Samchuk direction. Half an hour later we were there.

Now, Samchuk’s 100 Year-old market is well-known throughout Central Thailand, and loadsa shops have proudly posted pics of the owners with movie stars, singers, and even politicians who have passed through. Well-known it ought to be, the market has been recognized for architectural art by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindorn and the place has been at the center of ‘cultural preservation’ for quite some time. The market, located on the banks of the ThaChin River, was once a major hub for transportation to and from Bangkok
The first building we came across which really stuck out a mile was the former home of Khun Chamnongjeenarak, a former Opium tax collector. His home, 90 years-old -still in almost perfect original condition, has been turned into a museum (free too!).

The market had some traditional foods on sale that I had never seen before such as baked prawns with rice served in banana leaves. Not exactly one for scoffing too much in the morning, I opted instead for a more politically correct ‘morning coffee’. They have one really big traditional coffee shop which was absolutely packed out with locals and Thai tourists.
The place isn’t huge but it’s certainly worth a good two-three hours. Besides the food, coffee and buildings to enjoy, there are traditional antique shops knocking off antiques such as watches and clocks. Then there is a traditional photo studio where you can have black and white photos taken of yourself dressed in a variety very old-fashioned clothes/sarongs/school uniforms/military outfits etc.




To get there from Suphanburi Town, go to Lotus Department Store and jump on a bus to ‘Samchuk’ and tell the conductor to let you out at ‘Talart Roy Pee’ - as simple as that. On the way back, just ask someone where you can find a passing bus back, plenty of them. From Bangkok there are direct air-conditioned buses to Samchuk leaving from the Northern Bus Terminal. To make a worthwhile day-out, if you travel 30 km past Samchuk you will get to ‘Beung Chawak’, Suphanburi’s most famous tourist attraction, a huge dam with a safari and a big aquarium.
If you are in the Suphanburi area, then do check the place out – definitely worth a visit.