Often referred to as the market behind the Grand Palace, Tha Tian is located near Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho), on the bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. During the Ayutthaya Period, this area served as a pier for foreign junks to enter Thailand for trade contact, as evidenced by an amount of china-ware found nearby. The area, known as the Bangkok community, was later turned into a trade center for agricultural products, which was in operation until the Thon Buri Period.
In the early Rattanakosin Period, the Bangkok community was relocated to the adjacent area of Pak Khlong Talat, and Tha Tian became a market for salted fish and groceries and was also reserved for members of the royalty. Later, Tha Tian was razed to the ground during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV), who ordered the construction of a foreign court in this area. The pier nearby has facilitated the transportation of both goods and passengers.
Today, salted fish and processed marine products are still on sale at the Tha Tian market, which also serves as a pier for ferries to cross the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) and for the Bangkok Chao Phraya River Express Boat.
