Great Canal Intersection. Maha Nak Khlongs, Market, and People. Exploring Bangkok

The canal intersection, that's the essence of this sub-district's name, Si Yaek Maha Nak. That means not much today but, when Bangkok's major transport mode was boats, that was a lot. All trade and urban life existed on and along canals (khlong in Thai). The hegemony of khlongs lasted until the middle of the XIX century when the authorities started constructing large roads in Bangkok as part of the modernization of Thailand. But, obviously, the importance of canals remained for a long time.

Nowadays, Si Yaek Maha Nak is a calm area with authentic Thai vibes (enriched with Maynmar labor migrants). Calm and cheap, mangoes cost 0.5$ on the local food market... 😀 So, that's the place I want to show you today, dear readers and watchers.

Let's start with the colorful buildings around Bo Bae market.

I don't know who has chosen the colors but I love his or her picks.

However, it must be quite hot in such buildings when it's +38 daily in the shade like in this hot season.

I visited the mentioned Bo Bae clothing market but it was all closed at 4 pm.

A tuk-tuk parked on a arch bridge to Bo Bae market. Looks like, the driver feels alright about sleeping this way. 😄

Naga (nak in Thai) on the main intersection bridge over Maha Nak canal. Looks you can understand this name as the Great Naga canal?

This is the mentioned intersection itself:

The most epic tree species of Thailand together: a mango tree and banyan.

The green electric boat is part of Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem boat service. The perpendicular canal is Khlong Saen Saep (left) turning into Khlong Maha Nak (right), with regular express boats on them, these boats:

In most places, they have a pathway along the khlongs.

Exploring them is an amazing experience. Some houses "grow" right from the water there:

And that's the mentioned food Maha Nak market:

Nowadays, it's not floating anymore but full of colors.

Often in Asian markets, you can see umbrellas and awnings with boring logos of large companies, like Pepsi and so on. This is one of the vices of the modern world - spam is everywhere... Maha Nak market is different, and look how adorable this simple feature as a cute umbrella, free of spam, is:

😎

Against rain and bird shit. 😁

Jackfruits. (right? not breadfruits?)

A cart of a wandering fruit vendor: longans, mangoes, bananas, citruses.

Butcher shop behind the umbrellas. +38 in the shade, I am telling you. All hot season, two months, I live in my own sweat as fish in water. 🙁

I am spotted! 🙂

The day was ending, and I left the market for a bus stop.

On the way, I met this guy. I was taking images of the street and then noticed his face and realized he wouldn't mind posing for me. And I asked. He was glad. 🙂 Thank you, dear stranger!

I chose a new way to return and discovered an amazing neighborhood, another one!

It's gold for photography! This is where I go next time!

More stories from Southeast Asia are ahead! Check out my previous posts on my personal Pinmapple map.

I took these images with a Nikkor 50mm on a full-frame DSLR Nikon D750 on April 28 and May 3, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand.