Ban Mai market is situated at the bank of river Bangpakong in Chachoengsao which is a small beautiful city, fifty miles away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. It’s also known as the “hundred year” old market. While strolling around in its narrow streets one can see the clear mark of Chinese culture and tradition on this market because the dwellers of double-story houses with a shop at the ground floor or at least an opened door that serves the purpose of selling the goods, lined up across the curled street are the third generation of Chinese settlers who came to Thailand to find new grounds for their business and made this area their abode in the reign of King Rama the sixth. This riverside market not only gives you a vivid glimpse of the way people used to live beside the rivers in the past but also shows you an example of living hand in hand with nature in the modern times.

Many locals as well as tourists and foreigners come here in search of authentic traditional food to entice their taste buds and buy different kinds of souvenirs. Royal family of Thailand and many celebrities have also visited this market multiple times which depicts its importance and value. Getting there is not that difficult - the simplest and cheapest way is to take one of the multiple trains to Chahchoengsao from Hua Lumphung train station in Bangkok during the day and hire a motorbike taxi or “tuk tuk” to Ban Mai market from the Chachoengsao train station. The commute takes you around three hours to reach the market from your accommodation in Bangkok. One-way ticket from Hua Lumphung to Chachoengsao station costs only 13 baht and either motorbike taxi or “tuk tuk” won’t charge you more than 60 baht for dropping you in front of the market. If you want to use the same means for your way back to Bangkok then try to reach the Chachoengsao train station before 6 PM as that’s the time when last train leaves for Bangkok in the evening.

The market has a nice lively ambience and while you walk the streets covered with asbestos roofs, step upon the creaking wooden bridges, enter the shops and cafes with wooden walls and floors; most of which have lasted longer than the vendors themselves, you feel like taking steps back in time. Although It is open throughout the week as most of the vendors live inside the market the market is comes into full swing on the weekends. If you visit it on a weekday you’ll find most of the shops closed but at the same time you’ll find a lot of people happily indulged with nuts, dried flowers, vegetables and fruits in order to prepare themselves for the coming weekend. Probably it’s the dedication towards their work and use of natural ingredients that has allowed them to manage the taste and form of their cuisines authentic and matchless for decades. Here are my few cents about some must try delicacies of Ban Mai market that might tempt the foodie in you to visit and appreciate superb food options while enjoying the mesmerizing sight of river Bangpakong.

Kai Nok Krata (Fried Quail Eggs)

Like most of the other food items sold in Ban Mai market, Kai nok krata is also a simple, healthy and nutritious delight. Each one of kai nok krata is basically a quail’s egg fried in a specially designed pan. Vegetable oil is smeared on the inner surface of the pan which has multiple circular recesses in it. Then quail eggs are cracked open and transferred into each recess until the whole pan is filled. Now the pan is exposed to heat for a couple of seconds which brightens the yolks and albumens giving a crispy texture to the base of each “kai nok krata”. Finally it is served with a salty sauce and pepper powder. It tastes a little different from the common eggs and the price of 20 baht for a set of five “Kai Nok Krata” seems very reasonable.

Ka Nom Fuktong (Thai Pumpkin Dessert)

If you are a foodie you would have tried pumpkin pies for sure but while you are in Thailand don’t forget to taste the Thai pumpkin desserts. “Ka nom fuktong” is one of them. To make this traditional Thai dessert some pumpkins are steamed, mashed and mixed with rice flour, coconut milk and sugar before simmering the mixture for a while. Afterwards it is exquisitely wrapped in banana leaves and garnished with grated coconut on the top before serving. All the ingredients used to make “Ka nom fuktong” are natural; it looks attractive, smells nice and tastes yummy. Moreover you can buy five wraps of this delicious dessert for only twenty baht.

Khanom Mor Khao Gaeng (Pandan Pudding)

This delicacy is served in earthenware and it's adorned with sliced pandan leaves on the top to make it fragrant and entitle it a classy look. One serving costs 40 baht and it’s very fulfilling. Its basic ingredients include duck eggs, whole wheat flour, brown sugar and oil extracted from fragrant herbs. It is an aromatic dessert with a well-balanced sweet taste.

Toong Tong Tod (Fried Dumpling filled with minced pork)

In Thai language “toong tong” means a bag full of gold. In this cuisine the minced pork is wrapped in the dough and the pouch is tied with a long noodle before frying it in the vegetable oil. Although “toong tong tod” is quite similar to a typical fried dumpling however each pouch contains comparatively more minced meat fill. Moreover the sweetened chilies sauce served along as a dipper spices up the food. Apart from the mouthwatering taste “toong tong tod” looks uniquely creative so whether you are a chrysophilist or a genuine foodie, pay a visit to Ban Mai market where you can get six yummy bags of gold for just twenty baht.

Tua-taud (Peanut Toffee)

Tua-taud is sticky, sweet and fulfilling. It’s quite a sight to see how it’s made. As it needs a lot of strength usually you’ll see a guy using a thick rolling pin to flatten out the peanuts and white sesame seeds mixed with thick sugary syrup and a little bit of water on a wooden surface. The sugary syrup binds all the ingredients together and after rolling the mixture for a while it is ready to be cut into square or rectangular pieces that are sold for 50 baht each.