BMA to renovate Talad Plu Market as new tourist destination

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will renovate the old Talad Plu Market in Bangkok’s Thonburi district as a new tourist destination with a new bridge built and its riverfront renovated, the BMA governor and his deputy said on Saturday.

Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and Sanon Wangsrangboon unveiled the renovation of Talad Plu Market while visiting the market and other key locations in Thonburi district as part of the “BMA governor mobile meetings Season 2” measures to hear issues first-hand from residents.

While speaking to representatives of the Talad Plu community and other communities nearby at Talad Plu Mosque, Sanon said the BMA had a project to improve the landscape of Talad Plu as a tourist destination.

He said the renovation and development would be carried out under the fiscal 2025 budget.

Among other things, the BMA will build a bridge across the Bangkok Yai Canal to link the market to Bangkok Yai district.

The BMA will also renovate the riverside behind the market and turn it into a beautiful riverfront for the market, Sanon added.

Parking lots around the market will also be improved to make it more convenient for tourists, and more speed bumps will be installed to force vehicles to slow down to make it safer for shoppers to walk.

Talad Plu is a popular local market known for its delicious and affordable street food. It's particularly famous for its Chinese-influenced dishes and has a unique atmosphere, especially around the railway station. 

The market is a food lover's paradise, offering a wide variety of dishes, from noodles and dumplings to grilled meats and desserts. The market's location near the railway line adds to its charm.

Before holding a meeting at Talad Plu Mosque, Chadchart and his delegation inspected the construction of the Wongwian Yai station of the Purple Line railway to hear problems of residents of the Wongwian Yai community.

During the meeting at Talad Plu Mosque, the governor listened to complaints from representatives of Ban Lang, Trok Thevada, and railway communities. He also visited a daycare centre at Ban Suan Plu.

Chadchart assured representatives of local communities that his administration would not stop its efforts to improve their well-being.
He said the BMA under his leadership has improved sidewalks in Bangkok for a total distance of 800 kilometres and has installed 80,000 LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs to light up roads at night. He said the improvements have reduced accidents on roads and sidewalks by 30%.

During the meeting at the mosque, a major issue raised was the high number of street cats. Local residents complained that some people were feeding street cats instead of taking them home, resulting in an increase in their number.

Chadchart said the BMA would use Talad Plu as a role model on how to handle the issue of street cats. He said the BMA would urge people not to feed them and would spay or neuter them to control their population. 

He did not elaborate on how they would live without food from kind-hearted people.