Located in Samut Songkhram, Maeklong Railway Market looks like an ordinary open-air market in Asia with fresh tropical fruits and vegetables and people weaving their way between vendors.
(Image credit: Sun_line flickr)
Don’t be deceived because when a piercing siren sounds, the market transforms into “RUN FOR YOUR LIFE” chaos! Shoppers disappear and stallholders whip away their produce in a flash. For a moment, the market comes to a standstill as all the vendors hold on to the poles supporting their awning to make way for the train to pass. The train even goes over some of the goods if the stall owner decides to leave them there since it won’t destroy them anyway.
(Image credit: Christine Olson flickr)
Once the train is gone, the vendors push back the stalls into position and everything goes back as normal like nothing has happened. This has been going on since 1905.
Did we mention that the train runs through 7 times a day, 7 days a week? Oh yes, the train pass by the market 4 times in the morning and the other 3 times in the afternoon. The best part about this is that the train schedule is subject to changes. That’s convenient.
(Image credit: Sun_line flickr)
Oh well, all this adventure will no longer be at service as we’ve been informed that Maeklong Railway market is shut down for maintenance from 13 May 2015 till probably 8 November 2015. Too bad for you if you are trying to catch the thrill between the maintenance period but do come back end of this year.
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