Big Market

It’s really called Wororot Market, but it’s known just as Big Market. This is one of the less touristy markets in the central area of Chiang Mai, between the Old Town and the river. Wororot is one of two 3-storey market buildings here. There’s a fruit and flower market in the evening, but I missed that. 

Food businesses dominate, but basically you can probably find just about anything for sale, from religious artifacts to fishing gear. Cosmetics and pharmacy products and Chinese remedies, clothing and footwear, household paraphernalia including handmade copper pots, dried fruit and leaves, betel nuts, jewelry, stationery…

The lanes and alleys around the market buildings are lined with shops and roadside stalls. Quite a few sell hill tribe textiles and handicrafts. You have to wonder how much is still hand-made, though. One the other hand it's good to see contemporary designers doing new takes using traditional crafts, patterns and styles. 

There are lots of fabric and haberdashery shops. This was the main attraction for me, and I spent half a day wandering around. One of the reviews on Trip Advisor said to wear shoes rather than sandals because there quite a few rats. Like what are they going to do, nibble your toes?  I didn’t see any, even in the basement food court where I perched on a plastic stool to eat vegetarian omelette with rice and red curry.

The local English-language monthly magazine says about this market “You’ll be tempted by the unexpected”. I wasn’t so tempted by strips of buffalo hide and hair, as unexpected as they were; but what are they FOR? I think people actually buy them to chew on the leathery flesh. Mmmmm.

Stacks and stacks of the traditional pleated indigo cotton skirts with embroidered bands

Indigo-dyed fabrics, finely stitched, like sashiko

Sashiko stitching all over - beautiful, can it be hand work? 

Beautiful embroidery