Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

The Damnoen Saduak canal was dug between 1866 and 1868 on the orders of King Rama IV to link the Mae Klong and Tha Chin rivers, and its 32 kilometres soon became a busy trade route. Villagers dug some 200 side canals to reach their orchards and farms, and floating markets grew up where boats met. As new roads reduced the need for water transport, the original main market closed in 1967.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand began promoting the area to foreign visitors in 1971, and in 1981 local entrepreneurs opened the present market along Khlong Ton Khem. It has since become the most visited floating market in the country, and also one of the most criticised for its crowds and prices.

Damnoen Saduak district is an agricultural area of fruit orchards, vegetable plots and coconut palms threaded by canals, and many of the vendors are local farmers or their families. Outside the main tourist zone, daily life still follows the waterways, with houses on stilts, small boats moored at the steps and fresh produce sold along the banks.