Pak Khlong Talat, the Bangkok flower market, runs from midday into the night, seven days a week. While it’s never empty, Valentine’s Day gave tourists and locals a timely excuse to visit.
Thousands of flowers lined the streets, in every colour and species. Turmeric marigolds and deep red roses lived in pockets between daisies, sunflowers, and everything else. Fake bouquets lay among the real flowers and, after navigating crowded streets in the Thai heat for long enough, the two became indistinguishable.
Market-goers bought bouquets for wholesale prices, fresh from provinces like Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram.
In the days leading up to Valentine’s, Thai PBS World captured the buzz and bustle of the market.
Roses were in abundance at the market.
A sea of carnations.
Guardian of the roses.
One of the many storefronts stacked with fresh bouquets. They attracted a lot of attention and often caused footpath traffic jams.
Pre-packaged bouquets – Were they real or fake?
Two workers adjusted the cash in their money bouquets, put up high and out of reach.
Floating hearts and teddy bears above one stall.
A block down from the floating hearts, two women bundle up roses for sale.
Bags of freshly watered rose heads. Water droplets catch the fluorescent lights above, and the roses glisten like rubies.
A young man hauls bouquets down a busy street, motorbikes revving behind him.
Another man pushes through a crowded alley to deliver his roses.
Yellow, magenta and blue flowers – rare, beautiful, and made of plastic.
Students buy flowers for themselves, their friends… and their more-than-friends.
Black roses are the latest trend, despite Thailand’s long-held belief of them as a symbol of immortality, death, and the supernatural.
The teddy bear, chocolate and roses – a Valentine’s classic.
A woman twists the stems off of rose heads.
A bouquet stand, set up on the zebra crossing.
The sun has set for good, and store owners prepare for an influx of last-minute shoppers.
Story and photos by Anisha Satya.
