Many of you would have been to, or seen, or heard about the train that goes through the food and vegetable market in Thailand. This is probably the only place in the world where you can see it happen .It is located in the Samut Songkhram province called Mae Klong, and dubbed the most dangerous market in the world. It is of course of the tourist attractions, and scores of people head there everyday just to watch how a train rides past the stalls. Trust me, it’s scary.
So yet on another weekend where I was supposed to be resting, I was out before 8am, trying to get to the market. The trains have schedules of course, but like any other trains in Thailand, they are also prone to slack off their schedule. I took the BTS ( Silom line ) to the Wong WianYai station, and hopped on a moto taxi for 20B. I really could have walked, the station wasn’t too far ( perhaps a 15 minutes walk ) but I didn’t know where it was so I guessed taking a moto taxi was a safest option. He dropped me off at the station and I went to purchase my tickets to Maha chai, my first destination, for 10B.
Once on the train, I got a seat and settled down for the 1 hour long journey. The train started, and as it moved, it began swaying. Yes, literally swaying on the tracks as it moved I was sure we were going to derail. The tourists and backpackers were hooting and whistling at this adventure, while the Thais simply looked unfazed, so this must be common occurrence.
We pulled into Maha Chai station and I ambled out, walking out to what must be the world’s biggest and smelliest fish market. Okay, maybe not so smelly, but it was huge alright! Rows and rows of stalls selling only fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables, lining up the main road. I couldn’t help but smile. It was so busy, so smelly, so colourful, so packed, so wonderful! I turned left at the main road and walked for another 2 minutes and reached the Maha Chai pier, paid 4B for a short ferry ride to Ban Laem pier and hopped in. A group of young backpackers also hopped in with me. The boat was full with Thais, vegetables, and motorbikes making the crossing.
We got to Ban Laem pier and walked out, and there was a sign board showing us the Ban Laem Railway station, where we were headed, to get to Mae Klong. For some reason, we ran to the train station ( by now I was following the group of backpackers, eventhough we didn’t speak to each other ). Once we got there, we saw a train and thought that the train is ready to leave, but when we got to the counter, we were told that the train is delayed, from 10.10am to 12.10pm. The young backpackers ( who had a western woman who can speak Thai ) conferred among themselves and decided to take a bus to Mae Klong, which meant going back to Maha Chai and getting the bus. I wasn’t so keen, so I stayed behind, walking to the nearest 7 Eleven to get some cold iced coffee and snacks.
The wait was uneventful. The tiny station was full of Thais and I was the only foreigner. We ate, sat, snoozed, and walked around to kill time. I was walking around and reached a small Buddhist temple ground, where I sat for a while to escape the heat. God, thanks for little pleasures.
The train arrived around 12.10, and it was 12.30 by the time it pulled away. What amazed me was that the train was practically going on the road, along with the cars, and the cars had to stop to let the train pass. There wasn’t any rail gate or traffic warden to direct the traffic. The train also passed back lanes of houses really, really close I could see what the occupants were doing inside.
After an hour or so, and after I was falling asleep on the seat, the train hooted its horns continuously. I looked outside and we were passing the market itself. People, children, fruits, fish, chicken, vegetables and all sorts of food items merely inches away from the train. Some of it conveniently located a mere 2 inch from the track, so it goes under when the train passes. It was chaos – in a good way.
Later I got off, and wandered into the famous train market, located next to the tracks. Then the heavens opened and it poured really heavily. I was taking shelter under one of the canopies when I heard the train’s horn again. Camera on the ready, the stall woman urged me to step aside for her to remove the canopy. I stepped too close to the tracks and a man pulled me back, just as the train came buzzing. The whole thing only lasted 5 minutes or so. After the last railcar was gone, it was business as usual.
I returned by bus back to Maha Chai and caught the train back to Wong Wian Yai, and it was close to 8pm when I got home. It was so surreal, and amazing. I wouldn’t really go back there again, but it’s one of those things you’d really cherish all your lives.
How to get to the Mae Klong Train Market
1. Get a BTS ( Wong WianYai ) or tuk-tuk/taxi to the Wong Wian Yai Railway Station( say this clearly as they might take you to the Wong Wian Yai BTS station )
2. Get a ticket to Maha Chai ( 10B, 1 hour )
3. Alight in Maha Chai, and follow the crowd out to the street fish market. Turn right from the train station and walk straight ahead until you come to the end of the road.
4. Turn left and you will see the Maha Chai pier. Get a boat to cross ( 4B, 10 minutes ), hop out and walk straight ahead.
5. There will be a signboard posting the way to the Ban Laem station right outside the pier. Follow the signboard and walk for about 20 minutes until you reach the station.
6. Get the tickets to Mae Klong ( 10B, 1 hour ) and you’ll roll directly into the market.
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