Kwam-Riam Market

Saen Saeb canal (คลองแสนแสบ) is notoriously famous for its boat service in the heart of the capital.

This historic canal, dug in the 19^th century, extends on the northeast of Bangkok, until it reaches several tens of kilometers away Bang Pakong river, in the northern part of Chachoengsao province.

Peaceful canal outside of the city center, many temples are logically settled on its banks, including Wat Bam Pen Nuea (วัดบำเพ็ญเหนือ) and Wat Bang Peng Tai (วัดบางเพ็งใต้), near Minburi, a lively town being part of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

The market along the canal

These two temples are facing each other, each on one side of the canal. Quiet during weekdays, their enclosure comes alive during weekends thanks to the Kwam-Riam floating market (ตลาดน้ำขวัญเรียม).

By floating market here, you should understand a market stretching along the banks of the canal but not a market populated by countless boats, even though a dozen of barges serve as restaurants on the water.

If this market is popular with Thai people, there is no crowd like in other famous markets and you can quietly shop and enjoy local dishes at your convenience.

On the spot, you’ll thus find a lot of food and shops, a few sanctuaries, but also a lot of animals, even small floating farms on the canal.

Collective boat trips are also organized in the afternoon to explore Saen Saeb canal.

For information, on special occasion and very early morning, monks receive alms while they are on a boat. Unfortunately, I arrived too late thanks to traffic on the road.

To conclude, Kwam-Riam market is in Bangkok but outside of town. This is an ideal market to discover the capital on a new light while enjoying the local way of life during a few hours.

But the question remains, how to access to the Market?

If these two temples are in Bangkok, they are not that easily accessible from the city center when you’re not well aware of means of transportation in this megacity.

In my opinion, the best way to access to the market is by boat and taxi, using Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat service until its northern terminus, named Wat Sri Boonreung, or Wat Sri Boonruang.

You can take this boat service from different piers along the canal, for example Wat Saket, behind Central World Shopping center, or Thong Lo avenue, plus a dozen more.

To know more about this express boat service and the closest pier from your location, I invite you to check their website, by clicking here.

When you have reached the boat service terminus, you can take a taxi, except if you are lucky and can find a private boat that would accept to bring you directly to the market.

Kwam-Riam market is located around ten kilometers from the boat service terminus, in the northern direction, in the street number 60 of the Avenue named Seri Thai.

Here is the address in English and Thai language:

Wat Bam Pen Nuea (Kwam-Riam Floating Market), Seri Thai Road soi 60, Bung Kum disctrict, Bangkok.

วัดบำเพ็ญเหนือ (ตลาดน้ำขวัญเรียม), ถนนเสรีไทย ซอย 60, เขตบึงกุ่ม, กรุงเทพฯ

GPS coordinates of the market: N 13°48’4 E100°42’37