Going Nuts
‘Mak phlu’ is a less popular chew these days but its place in Thon Buri’s history seems secure
Published: 8/10/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Horizons
Food is always the first thing that comes to my mind when somebody mentions Talat Phlu, an old Chinese market community in the Thon Buri area famous for serving up delicious traditional fares such as kui chai (chives dumpling), rice congee and some Thai sweets that are becoming rarer by the day.
The market is in the vicinity of historical sites some of which go back to the days of King Taksin the Great, Thon Buri’s only monarch.
Chinese sweet in Talat Phlu.
Talat Phlu can be traced back to the 18th century to the Ayutthaya period. Located on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River, it is a community of Teochew people who migrated there from southern China. Some came here to trade during King Taksin’s reign, others in search of greener pastures and start a new life at the dawn of the Rattanakosin period.
These early Chinese were good at trading and farming. They cultivated piper betel, or phlu in Thai, and made a living selling its heart-shaped leaves, part of a popular chew among the local gentry in those days. Called mak phlu, the chew comprised of dried pieces of betel palm nut (Areca catechu), betel leaf folded into the shape of a cone shape and daubed with poon daeng, a sediment of slaked lime mixed with water and turmeric. Some people used mak phlu with ya sen or shredded tobacco.
Chewing mak phlu was a tradition. People chewed it to refresh their breath, break ice with strangers or welcome guests and to blacken their teeth, which was the fashion at the time.
According to archives of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, piper betel was cultivated in many parts of Thon Buri such as the area around Bang Sai Kai Canal northeast of Talat Phlu and Bang Waek Canal to its west. Farmers paddled boats loaded with betel leaves to Talat Phlu to sell the produce, the market being the transportation and commercial hub of Thon Buri.
The market area, about 300 metres long, stretched from Wat Ratchakhrueh to Wat Inthraram (see map), and after a time it was given a name taken from its most popular sell, the phlu leaf.
But the market’s lifestyle and that of phlu planters received a rude shock during World War II when the government of Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram promulgated a law that banned cultivation of betel, trade and the chewing of mak phlu in order to put a stop to the random spitting by its chewers that soiled the city’s streets, lanes and buildings with stains of red.
Thereafter demand for betel leaves and nuts declined dramatically, but the area is still called Talat Phlu and the market is bigger than before. Essentially, since 1968 it’s been a wet market whose specialty is food and meat.
So get yourself a decent pair of light shoes and walk easy from Thoet Thai Soi 8 to Soi 24, or even further up, for a taste of this Chinese community.
Public buses passing Talat Phlu are Nos, 4 , 9, 43, 111 and 175. Alternatively you can travel there by train from Wong Wian Yai station.
If driving, from Wong Wian Yai take Intharaphithak Road and turn left at the first T-junction which is Bang Yi Rua. From there drive on to Talat Phlu on Thoet Thai Road. Parking lots are available at Wat Intharam, Wat Ratchakhrueh and Wat Phonimitr.
For more information, visit Bangkok Tourism Division at http://www.bangkoktourist.com or call 02-225-7612 to 4.
Situated in Thoet Thai Soi 8, Wat Intharam Voraviharn, also known as Wat Tai, is a royal temple rebuilt by King Taksin, who rallied his troops to defeat the Burmese and reunified the Kingdom after the fall of Ayutthaya. He ruled from Thon Buri before the advent of the Rattanakosin era. Inconspicuous and in a state of ruin when King Taksin found it, he ordered a major expansion and renovation after which he declared Wat Tai a royal temple where he would often go to meditate. The main picture shows his seat of meditation in the vihara, carved from a single wood that looks more like a day bed without mattress, flanked by four pillars and flower curtains. There are a small statute and portraits of the king for visitors to pay their respects.
Outside the vihara of Wat Intharam is a statue of King Taksin riding a horse, sword held high in his right hand. After World War II the temple wanted to install a new statue. When it came to choosing style, several miniature models were made and left to the public to decide. The model receiving the most public donation was chosen, and it was made into life-size. These two golden stupas in front of the vihara were built to keep ashes of the king (at right) and the queen (at left).
The principal Buddha image of Wat Phonimitr Mahasimaram is outstanding, as are the mural paintings depicting the lives of monks, traditional Thai ceremonies and one that chronicles the trip of monks who went to India a century ago and brought back seedlings of the famed ‘bodhi’ tree that they planted in the back of temple. The trees are still standing.
Wat Ratchakhrue Voraviharn is also known as Wat Mon, built in the Ayutthaya period by a Mon commander and his community to show their gratitude to the land they had immigrated to. During the Thon Buri period the temple undergone a major renovation commanded by Phraya Pichai, a great warrior who helped King Taksin fought off the Burmese invaders. The effort was his way of making merit for the soldiers of both sides who died during the war. After he died, Phraya Pichai’s ashes were kept in a stupa next to the vihara which houses a unique Buddha image which lies on its back instead of on its right side like other reclining Buddhas.
Behind Wat Intharam is an old two-storey wooden house. Erected at its entrance are wooden pillars for security of its occupants. To get in or out, it needs a person inside the house to remove a pillar. The pillars are heavy and require strength to manoeuvre. It’s a traditional Teochew style security set-up. At the back of the temple there is a small lane leading to Talat Klang, a wet market where every morning you can also find shops and stalls selling beverages and cooked dishes. Next to the market are old buildings and two small temples which date back to the time of King Rama III. Further up the same lane you’ll find Wat Ratchakhrue.
Bangkok Yai Canal was once part of the curvy Chao Phraya River. But four centuries ago, during the time of King Chai Racha Thirat of Ayutthaya, a waterway was excavated to give boats and trade ships a shortcut, instead of a detour along the loop that was long and time consuming. The waterway, cut straight, changed the course of the river. With more water flowing through it, the new course widened over the years, while the original course, fed by less water grew narrower, shrinking to a series of canals we today know as Khlong Bangkok Yai, Khlong Chak Phra and Khlong Bangkok Noi. After the fall of Ayutthaya, King Taksin established a new capital in Thon Buri. The area where Khlong Bangkok Yai connects with the ‘new’ course of the Chao Phraya became the residence of his courtiers (‘Kha Luang’ in Thai), which is why the canal is also known as Khlong Bang (Kha) Luang.
This stall selling only chives dumplings always has a long queue in front of it. People start queuing up an hour before the seller arrives with his push-cart at around 11:30am (except Mondays and Chinese sacred days). His dumplings, wrapped in thin sheets of flour, are tasty even without the dip. And in half an hour he’s sold out. If you want to sample his ‘kui chai’, you’d better be there early.
Food in Talat Phlu is available round the clock. From the railway station to the main Thoet Thai Road there are several stalls serving a variety of goodies, from savoury dishes like fish-ball noodle soup, ‘kui chai’ (chives dumplings), ‘khao man gai’, ‘khao moo daeng’ and ‘khanom beung yuan’ to iced dessert and other kinds of Thai sweets. A highly recommended place to dine is Jeen Lee restaurant which dates back to the time of King Rama V. Located right next to the Talat Phlu Pier, the restaurant is famous for ‘mee krob’ (crispy rice noodle stir-fried with pork, shrimp and egg). When eating, you have to mix the noodle with pickled garlic, chives, bean sprouts and ‘som sa’ (kaffir lime). It is believed King Rama V himself admired it when the dish was served to him during a royal visit to the area about 130 years ago.
*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *