I first saw a video of Maeklong Railway Market on Whatsapp. And I almost refused to believe it. A few months later I was standing at the market known as Talat Rom Hoop (ตลาดร่มหุบ) locally, about to witness the phenomenon myself! The local name means “umbrella pulldown market” as that is what the vendors do when the train is about to pass through the Maeklong Eailway Market!
The market must have existed before the railway line came through in early 1900s. Even today there is gap in the line which has to be covered by ferry between Mahachai and Ban Laem stations. The market is next to the Maeklong Railway Station.
When we arrived, we had a just a few minutes before the 9.45 am train passed. The same train comes back at 10.20 am from the Maeklong Station. To look at the schedule of the trains you can click here and read. Looking at the number of tourists who were there, the market is clearly popular. I could hardly get any room to click pictures!
Before the Train Passes through the Maeklong Railway Market
Before the train arrives at the market, you roam around the market like you will at any other place! There are fruits, sea food, meat and other stuff to be bought. There are a lot of tourists all looking for good pictures too. So yo will be in the frame of many other people, as they will be in your’s!
Just Before the Train Passes through the Maeklong Railway Market
You will see the umbrellas or the awnings of the shops come down! You will also see a few vendors clearing the track. They urge all the tourists to get out and stand on the sides, at least a foot away from the main track! They are quite vigorous in shooing people away and rightly so, because the consequences of staying on the track are not pretty at all!
By the time they make sure everyone is safely off the track, you can already hear the horn clearly. The last of the vendors go off the track just as the train is approaching.
When the Train Passes through the Maeklong Railway Market
When the train passes through, you of course, stay out of the tracks! You also try desperately to keep your camera clear of other tourists. I only partially succeeded in it! And however great the temptation for a good picture, you firmly remain in the place which managed to occupy before the train came in the view.
You have to resist the impulse to yell at the person who put their camera in your frame, because you must be doing the same to the person next to you! From photography point of view I only managed to use my cell phone and Gopro. It didn’t help that I was completely new to GoPro then!
After the Train has Passed through the Maeklong Railway Market
After the train has passed, you go back on the tracks again, the market comes back too! I was vehemently disappointed with my pictures when I clicked them in August 2016. After putting some distance between the event and my pictures, I am a little more charitable towards them.
Maeklong Railway Market was an intense experience for me. How I wish to go back, now that I know what to expect out there! I promise I will come back with better pictures and videos if I ever go back again.
PS. I was invited to Thailand by TAT New Delhi
OMG ! i never imagined market this close to train. Only your Pictures proved it :). Just amazing
It was an amazing experience too Arvind 😀
This is an exciting place.. great post
Thank you so much 😀
Have heard, seen and read so much about this place that now only that remains to be done is, experience it first hand.
Hopefully soon 🙂
Yes Rajiv hopefully soon and remember to find a relatively peaceful corner to click pictures 😀
That I am sure would need a lot of luck 😉
I am sure you can if you arrive a bit early.
i surely would not believe it if i would have listened only but seeing the pics about such a market i have to believe it. the question is why not the vendors change the place for their business?
They are a star attraction now getting huge number of tourists! It is an icon.
Unbelievable! How was the feeling when train passed by, you might have got a little space to accommodate you by the side of the track.
He he I am not the adventurous type, the vendors were vocal that we should stay in and I did!
This is an exciting and amazing place. Things will be cheaper than other local markets , do you have any such idea ?
Yogi I did not shop, it is a local market I believe fruits, fish and such. But it is a lot of fun.
Super clicks.And they keep saying lot of things.
Thank you so much!
This is definitely something to be witnessed to be believed. Amazing how the people adjust!
Yes Indrani and the train passes many times a day in both the directions.
Even we had seen few videos of this market which we had refused to believe then, but after reading your post we now know that it really exists. Vendors of this market go through so much pain of arranging their store several times everyday. Very unique kind of market it is..:)
I think the vendors enjoy the tourists and the extra sales 😀
Wow! This is such an amazing market and that too so close to the tracks. The railway market is so busy with this huge number of tourist. The frequent movement of all these umbrellas and awnings and also the tourist away from the track is an extra job for the vendors too.
It was indeed quite an experience!