Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (Thai: ตลาดน้ำดำเนินสะดวก, in Thai pronounced as /tā.làːt náːm dām.nɤ̄ːn sā.dùak/) is a floating market in Damnoen Saduak district, Ratchaburi province, about southwest of Bangkok, Thailand.[1] [2] It has become primarily a tourist attraction, attracting domestic and foreign tourists.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It is often considered the most famous floating market.[2] [3] [4] [5]
From 1866 to 1868, by order of King Rama IV, the 32km (20miles)-long Damnoen Saduak Canal was constructed to connect the Mae Klong and Tha Chin Rivers.[4] [6] Many floating markets arose from the canal, and about 200 ancillary canals were dug by villagers.[4] The main floating market was called Lad Plee market (Thai: ลัดพลี,) which adjoined a Buddhist temple and remained active until 1967 when the development of roads replaced the need for water transportation.[4] This pattern was seen with other old floating markets which disappeared by the mid-20th century due to the development of modern land infrastructure.[4]
In 1971, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) made the Lad Plee market a tourist attraction for foreigners.[4] The market had boat vendors and shops on the canal banks.[4] In 1981, a new road was built to Ton Canal, and private entrepreneurs established the modern Damnoen Saduak Floating Market along this canal.[4]
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market consists of a maze of narrow khlongs (canals).[1] [7] Female traders, often wearing traditional mo hom apparel (blue farmers' shirts) with wide-brimmed straw hats (ngob) use sampans (small wooden boats) to sell their wares, often produce.[1] [7] [8] These boats are often full of vegetables and colorful fruits that are photogenic, and these images are used for tourism promotion.[2] The market is often the busiest in the morning from 07:00 to 09:00 and is active until noon.[1] [8] A roof was built for the market so that it could be operated every day and all day[9]
The floating market includes three smaller markets: Ton Khem, Hia Kui, and Khun Phitak.[1] [7] [10] Ton Khem is the largest market and is on Khlong Damnoen Saduak.[1] [7] Hia Kui is parallel to Khlong Damnoen Saduak and has souvenir shops on the canal banks to sell goods to larger tour groups.[1] [7] Khun Phitak is about south of Hia Kui and is the smallest and least crowded market.[1] [7]
The floating market is crowded with tourists and is considered a tourist trap.[11] As such, the wares tend to be overpriced.[11] Bargaining is a common practice, although the prices of souvenirs and food are generally fixed within a few baht. Canoe cooks can be found preparing and selling boat noodles.[7] [5] The floating market also has been noted to lack cultural authenticity, although it remains a popular destination for both foreign and domestic tourists.[4] [10] [11] [5]
The market has been featured in several films. A canal chase scene in The Man with the Golden Gun with Roger Moore as James Bond was filmed at the market,[12] and the 2008 film Bangkok Dangerous starring Nicolas Cage includes a scene that takes place at the market.[12] [13]