Portrait of a Market ตลาดตรอกหม้อ (Talad Trok Mor)

Just blocks from the Grand Palace and a couple hundred metres from Bangkok's City Hall lies a hidden gem of a morning market—Trok Mor. Spanning the entirety of Soi (Alley) Thesa and overflowing into the neighbouring lanes, Trok Mor market harkens back to Bangkok's early history as a vibrant centre of trade and commerce, along with subtle infusions of modernity. In this megacity of over 15 million, saffron-robed monks chant prayers while the newest iPhone models bleat LINE notifications, embodying the quintessential microcosm of 21st-century Bangkok that is the morning market.

On the Map

Let's explore this bustling centre of Bangkok life!

Tuk-tuks crowd the entrance, ferrying shoppers and goods.

8:14 AM, and the market is in full swing.

A veritable assortment of produce and seafood abound.

Colourful fish are displayed and weighed.

Makeshift stalls burst with fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables.

An herb vendor watches for potential customers.

The scraps of a produce vendor carpet the market floor.

Long beans, alliums, herbs and other produce spills over the stand.

Thai Baht notes are exchanged as bags of limes are filled.

An international affair: Donning bright red for good luck, a Thai-Chinese vendor sells salmon imported from Norway.

Many market stalls are a family affair, run intergenerationally.

Closer to home: Flower crabs, locally caught from the Gulf of Thailand.

Traditional Khao Kaeng (Rice-Curry) shops sell rice and its accompaniments.

A row of novice monks passes by a busy seafood stand.

Before and after: A lotus flower folded.

Markets provide an intersection between commerce and religion, where monks collect alms in exchange for spiritual blessings, and fish and turtles are purchased for release in local waterways.

Limes of all varieties contrast with a worn pushcart.

Saltwater prawns, a vital ingredient to Thai favourites like tom yum soup.

Bangkok morning markets give new meaning to the idea of a "drive through".

Seafood in all shapes, colours, and sizes are the true stars of the show.

Crabs with orange chillies and garlic.

A seafood vendor cracks a laugh amidst a hectic morning scene.

Apart from the edible, Siamese fighting fish are among the goods customers can buy.

Created By

Charlie Colasurdo

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Credits:

Photos by Charlie Colasurdo