Golden recollections
Lat Chado, a riverside market in Ayutthaya more than a century old, rumbles back from sleep
Published: 29/07/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Horizons
After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese in 1767, a large number of people took refuge in a river basin northwest of the ransacked capital in what today is Phak Hai district.
The area is famous for a different reason these days _ a quaint riverside market, Lat Chado, and the community that surrounds it, which take their name from the giant snakehead fish, locally known as pla chado, that thrives in the local waterway.
The community became known as a commercial hub just over a century ago when Chinese merchants travelling in houseboats stopped over to trade goods. As their stops became more frequent the volume of trade rose and a floating market began to take shape. Later wooden platforms and structures were erected by the banks, in the process setting up the nucleus around which a permanent market would grow.
For much of its existence Lat Chado remained busy, at its peak operating from dawn to dusk, but when roads replaced waterways as the main mode of transportation three decades ago the market went into a gradual decline. Many of the shops were closed and their owners moved to cities is search of better jobs and opportunities.
However, some of the residents, particularly the elderly, bucked the trend and hung on, choosing instead to carry on with their lives as normal in their vintage wooden homes and shophouses.
With the boom of conservation tourism a few years ago, their persistence seems to have paid off as an increasing number of culture and architecture buffs visit the market.
And early last year Lat Chado received a major shot in the arm when it was declared Ayutthaya’s new cultural attraction, the fruit of collaboration between local residents and their municipality.
The market now welcomes weekenders with its harmonic blend of historic decor, old-world rural ambience and simple canalside lifestyle. Its vintage wooden shophouses with folding doors, old-style convenience stores, relaxed atmosphere and an assortment of delectable local treats promise to transport visitors back to a time when life’s pace was less hurried.
What makes this seemingly ordinary market special from others elsewhere, however, lies not only in its originality and well-preserved identity, but its sheer presence, like an institution, thus completing the full set typical of rural Thai societies _ communities, temples and schools.
If the idea of off-beaten tours not found in the usual guidebooks tickles your imagination, try Lat Chado, this riverside community will not disappoint you.
The Lat Chado community is in Phak Hai district of Ayutthaya. The old market opens on weekends and public holidays from 9am to 4pm. For more information, contact the Lat Chado municipal office at 035-740-263/4.
Wat Dusit Ratchamatcha, locally called Wat Lat Chado, is the community temple which dates back over 200 years. The principal Buddha image of Luang Phor Toh in the ordination hall is a highly revered icon of worship with an intimidating history. The statue was significantly downsized from the original, and resculpted. One can’t tell for sure whether doing so was a sacrilege, but what we do know is that soon after it was completed, the local tycoon who commissioned the task went bankrupt, losing all his assets.
Lat Chado’s vintage layout and architecture featuring row upon row of old-fashioned wooden shophouses either side of the walkway reflect a traditional and idyllic way of life. For its structural design, the market was rated among the best preserved wooden buildings by the Association of Siamese Architects in 2006.
A museum located inside the market gives visitors a perspective of what life in the neighbourhood used to be like via a collection of all-wood agricultural equipment from yesteryear, such as buffalo-drawn cart, rice measuring tub, hand-operated grain separator, hayfork, farmer’s hat, shoulder poles, plough, and threshing baskets that once played a vital role in the daily life of farmers before being supplanted by modern technology.
Like traditional weekend markets elsewhere, one of the highlights here is a wide range of freshly-cooked delicacies, including native sweet treats like ‘khanom tarn’—toddy palm cake, ‘khanom thuay’—steamed coconut cake and ‘thua pab’—sticky mung bean roll.
Looking for a cosy place for lunch? ‘Guay jub’ —rolled noodle with giblets, crispy pork and hardboiled egg served in a brown spiced broth—at Pa Paniad, the market’s oldest restaurant, is highly recommended.
An assortment of homey, yet deeply flavoured salted or dried local fish make ideal souvenirs to take home.
An Otop product unique to the Lat Chado community is the quaint handcrafted cloth wreath, the brainchild of Numchai Ajjimanon, a local elder who, in 1987, pioneered the use of coloured cloth instead of flowers, the norm among florists in big cities. Back then Lat Chado residents had a difficult time maintaining the freshness of flowers. Thus was born the concept of flowerless wreaths based on designs of traditional Chinese versions. After the desired pattern is drawn, different varieties of fabrics—cotton, rayon or silk—are laid out on a foam board, given the desired shape and stitched onto the plank. The wreath is then stuffed with newspaper and beautified with vivid embellishments. Lat Chado wreaths have evolved over time and are now available in diverse patterns. This local wisdom has helped supplement the income of many residents.
An ideal way to admire Lat Chado’s unpretentious charm is to take a boat ride along the canal and enjoy the scenery on either side. The banks are serene and dotted with traditional Thai houses. The only noise spoiling the peace is the roar of the engine of your boat.
Posters on this board commemorate Thai films as well as soap operas shot amidst the age-old ambience and setting of Lat Chado.
Square dip nets harnessed to a wooden structure are a common sight in front of most riverside houses. This simple method is a reliable way by which local residents make sure fresh catches arrive on their dining tables everyday.
The balcony of the lone school in this waterside community, Wat Lat Chado Primary School, is built in the shape of the letter E. About 250 metres long, it is arguably the longest wooden balcony in the country.
This eerie, derelict house in tambon Amarit, near Lat Chado, dates to the reign of King Rama V. Built by Phak Hai’s former chief district officer, Khun Pithak Borriharn, it served as the monarch’s accommodation on one of his sojourns along the Noi River.
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*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *