Sunday Night Market

Chiang Mai was built as the capitol of the Lanna Kingdom around 1296, and was surrounded by a wall and a moat for safety. The wall and moat were renovated in the 1960’s and surround the center of town now, which is called the Old City. The guesthouse where we stayed for several weeks is inside the wall and just a short walk from one of the busiest gates, called the Thai Phae Gate. Every Sunday night, the roads into the Old City are closed to vehicles and are transformed into The Sunday Night Market.

Getting setup for SNM starts in the morning, but at a slow pace. You see folks riding down the road on their scooters, wheeling big cages along next to them. At first, we didn’t know what the cages were, but after awhile, Jack and I realized that they were the framework for the vendor market stalls. We don’t know where they’re kept between market days, but there are lots of them.

About 4:30 in the afternoon the traffic police come and barricade the street at Thai Phai Gate to vehicles and start ushering people across the street into the market.

Policeman directing traffic


People flooding through the Thai Phae Gate


One Sunday, Jack and I went to the Black Canyon Coffee Shop that’s on the corner across from the Gate, to watch the action as everyone moved in for the evening. There was a lot of activity as everyone draped awnings, ran extension cords, unpacked stuff, and arranged it just so.

Getting setup


Making sure everything is just right


Breaktime before the crowds hit


Directly in front of the coffee shop where we were sitting, two ladies about my age were setting up a waffle stand that made fresh, hot waffles. Waffle stands are a big thing here. I can understand why. They smell so good while they’re cooking, it’s hard to resist. Jack and I usually don’t resist, and will split one as a treat on Sunday nights.

The Waffle Lady


Coke-a-Cola Shadow Box


Goods for sale


Helping setup


The streets eventually get lined with stalls on both sides, and where the streets are a little wider, small music groups take over the center of the road and play for contributions. One of the best groups consists of four blind young men who sit cross legged, one behind the other, playing their instruments and singing. They do a really good job and probably make a good amount in tips. Jack always makes a contribution. Some of the other singing groups are good, while some of them are young kids goofing off who haven’t practiced enough.

Band playing for tips


We see some of the same vendors every week. There is one lady who has a booth of lacquer ware. She has painted everything she sells in the stall. Jack took some time and sat with her as she demonstrated how she drew the flowers on with the tip of the paint tube. She was really talented and we bought some of her things to bring home. Jack was very attentive and appreciative of what she was doing, as he is with everyone who does crafts and works with their hands.

Jack getting lessons


I had an odd thing happen to me, as we sat at coffee shop one week. I had my camera out taking pictures of folks setting stuff up and of the tourists, etc., when I got a picture of a Buddhist Monk, maybe about my age, buying a lottery ticket. He noticed me, and started talking to me, very loud, from where he was standing. He was saying how good it was that I was in Thailand, spending my money and helping his country. I felt a little awkward and the center of attention. Then he gave me a box of specialty cakes wrapped up like you get at Christmas from a department store. I kind of felt as if he was angry with me for taking his picture. Jack and I both thought it was a little strange. Later that afternoon, I asked our landlady about it and she said it was good luck to have the Monk give me something. That’s probably true, but on reflection, I think he was somewhat annoyed, or even angry, that I caught him buying a lottery ticket. I gave the cakes to the landlady at our guesthouse when we left, spread some of luck around. However, in case the good luck part is true, I use the gold elastic band that was wrapped around the box to keep my day planner closed so all the stuff won’t fall out. Just to keep all the bases covered.

The Gambling, Good-Luck Monk


Besides all the cool stuff to buy like lacquer ware, clothes, artwork, etc., there is food for sale everywhere! One of the Wats lets food vendors setup inside its grounds and there is any kind of food that you could want. One of my favorites is an Indian Food guy that has the best chicken kabobs - which are made from roasted chicken, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, some kind of spicy sauce, and yogurt sauce. They are cheap, about $1.50 each, and delicious. So besides the waffel ladies, we get supper at Sunday Night Market for such a good price.

Great food


Fruit smoothies


Thai specialties