Throughout Thailand, a market and a community exist side by side. Talard Baan Mai in Muaeng district of Chachoengsao province is one such example. A vibrant market dominated by Thai merchants of Chinese origin since the days of King Chulalongkorn, it continues to retain the same old ambiance of old with wooden houses crowding the bank of Bangpakong River.
Products of old and new including consumer goods and food, Talard Baan Mai evokes a sense of nostalgia, are on offer in a business that is conducted in an amicable way.
It may not be a huge market. But tourists tend to spend more time than expected at Talard Baan Mai taking pleasure in the visit, indulging in food sampling and making purchases of such products as food like a bowl or rice with curry topping, a-la-carte items, noodles, traditional Thai coffee, herbal drinks, localized traditional dessert, ancient toys, other souvenirs and handicraft; some products remind one of the good old day when our grandparents were still in their teens.
To give you tired legs a rest, you may want to drop by a traditional café to try the famous coffee, chilled black coffee or chilled black tea served by the old kindly-looking proprietor.
The vicinity of Talard Baan Mai also provides convenient access to Wat Sothornwararam Voraviharn where visitors generally drop by after a satisfying meal and shopping spree to Luang Por Sothorn and take advantage of visiting other temples including Wat Cheen Pracha Samosorn and Wat Upaipatikaram.
Talard Baan Mai is particularly busy during the weekend and public holidays, which makes weekdays rather dull by comparison.
