Travel to people — our favorite pursuit. Neither silent architecture, nor quiet corridors of galleries, nor even walks in nature can bring as much experience as time spent with locals. Threads lead us to communities — farmers, artists, and businessmen. Let’s explore what lies behind this adventure.
From communities
to a new culture
Three Projects that Connect People in Thailand
Let’s meet at the market
Do you love markets as much as we do? The best spot to feel the pulse of the city. Wishing a good morning to the smiling farmers and vendors, grabbing something fresh, juicy, and exclusively local to take in your bag, and then spending the whole day exploring the surroundings. It’s a dream!
In Chiang Mai, there’s a farmer’s market that’s not just a market anymore — it’s an open urban project with its own contemporary art gallery. You’ll be amazed at how beautiful the threads are that unite several communities here: artists, farmers, clothing and jewelry designers, owners of small home cafes. It’s a source of creativity and a caring attitude towards the health of people and the planet. Welcome to Jing Jai Market! Open every Saturday and Sunday.
Here, everything is handmade and with great love, and you can feel it. We spoke with Ormkwan Sanasen, the executive director of the project, about its mission and the changes that working with small communities brings to the city.
How it all began
More than 10 years ago, there was an open air shopping center where Jing Jai Market now stands. At that time, the idea didn’t take off — I think it wasn’t the right time. After that, representatives from the Department of Health approached us and proposed a project (another initiative of King Rama IX aimed at Thailand’s development). The project aimed to encourage farmers to stop using pesticides. They were looking for a place where producers could sell organic products. That’s how the farmer’s market first emerged.
How does the farmer’s market operate?
We have quite strict rules. We don’t work with middlemen — only with the farmers themselves. We check certificates confirming that the produce is organic. We also visit the farms to make sure that everything written on paper is the same in reality.
We also have a small laboratory for testing soil for pesticides. We conduct random tests, collecting soil samples from each farmer.
About working with people
If you want to change something, start small. You can’t just change someone’s attitude towards life overnight. For example, you say, «Let’s use fewer plastic bags.» But for farmers, plastic bags are much cheaper than paper ones, and even small savings matter to them.
Therefore, we need to change our approach gradually. We’re more about encouraging farmers to change rather than banning anything. You have to be the example yourself. I always bring my own shopper to the market to avoid using plastic bags.
About the value of community
The market is not just about farmers but also about the community. We want to set an example: come to us, get inspired, build your community. Just like we do.
So, the Good Goods store (located within Jing Jai Market) aims to encourage people to come together and do what they’re good at. You may not be the best farmers, but you might excel at weaving charming baskets. We’ll guide you on how to set up your corner and trade properly, how to come up with a name and brand, and connect your project with an audience.
We also opened a market for artisanal crafts. We stick to the same approach: we invite only craftsmen, not middlemen. We guarantee that the products are made to the highest standards. The artisanal market has been operating for over seven years.
About the art gallery at the market
In Chiang Mai, there is a large community of artists. And we decided to create an art gallery right in the middle of the market.
Art, especially contemporary art, can feel distant from people. We opened a gallery that is accessible to everyone. You know, sometimes it’s daunting to enter a large exhibition — it seems so unapproachable. We wanted people to feel comfortable with us.
On the day of the gallery opening, all the farmers were there. And I think it’s wonderful. People like that they come to the market and can just stop by — sit down and look at the works of art. The exhibition changes every three months.
About plans for the future
I want more young people to come to the Jing Jai Gallery — observe how we manage the space. For me, art is not just about artists but also curators because everything is interconnected. Let the younger generations see how everything operates.
The threads of the Jing Jai Market and Good Goods community extend from Chiang Mai to the heart of Bangkok. The Central Group team (the corporation that develops both brands) has managed to establish supply chains, and now farmers and small businesses from the north have a major sales outlet in Bangkok’s largest shopping center, Central World, while city dwellers have access to fresh, wholesome products, the origin and composition of which they can trust.
Where else can you see the power of community?
In Bangkok, near two narrow rivers, Bang Chak and Bangkok Yai, stands a house by the water, and in its depths is an ancient white stupa from the Ayutthaya Kingdom era. The house itself is over 200 years old. It’s a very cinematic place: from a boat ride, you can see the amazing residential area along the canal, where it seems like people never had land under their feet, only murky green water and a golden Buddha. Here, the frenetic race comes to a halt, and the river sets the rules — by the river, it’s cool, it has its own time.
Fourteen years ago, the house with the stupa was purchased from an elderly lady by a creative soul named Chumphon Akaphanthanond, who restored it and opened it to everyone, calling it the Artist’s House. Here, people walk barefoot, cozy cushions lie on the floor, and everywhere there are paints, clay, and materials. Endless portraits, sketches. Wooden doors open directly to the water, and you can sit on the dock, dangling your feet over the water. Hanging plants in pots and charming knick-knacks are scattered everywhere. Most of the time, Chumphon sits at the bar and draws everyone, even in the Google Maps marker of the Artist’s House, he is captured in his everyday pose.
Open house by the river
The soul of the house is eternal. Many years ago, Chumphon welcomed the only puppet theater troupe in Bangkok (about 20 people), who preserved the ancient traditional art. Young theater teacher Khu Bon recounts that their art literally vanished after World War II, with no one performing it. But one day, the son of a departed master, Joe Louis, began to remember what he had seen in his childhood — those very puppet movements. Fourteen years ago, he revived the art from oblivion. It takes three people to operate one puppet! Each dancer must study the puppet’s movements and choreography within the group for five years. Unfortunately, the theater went bankrupt. That’s when Chumphon welcomed its only students into his Artist’s House.
For a long time, the artists performed here, and the show became very popular. But then, due to COVID, large gatherings indoors were prohibited. That’s when Chumphon found a place for the artists near a temple where they could perform outdoors without losing their income. They remain friends to this day.
After the pandemic, the history of the house resumed: it turned out that teenagers needed a place for creativity — quiet and safe, like home. They started coming here — to draw, sculpt something, and feed the fish in the canal. And the elderly dropped by for some delicious local beer and conversations. Students and freelancers also come to work in a cozy atmosphere. To feel how the locals live and, if you’re lucky, get your sketch portrait from Chumphon — be sure to stop by here.
The Street of Entrepreneurs
Along the banks of the mighty Chao Phraya River, where gigantic catfish slumber beneath its surface, stretches Song Wat Street. Just a couple of blocks away, Bangkok’s Chinatown begins. Amidst the crowded tables, men and women eagerly indulge in street food right on the thoroughfare, while urban characters flaunt the most unimaginable outfits. Vendors with carts sizzling with fiery fryers watch TikToks. And then, suddenly, like a Madonna from a painting, a bewildered young woman with a baby who clearly didn’t expect to be here. And of course, scores of blissful faces — people in the midst of a Thai foot massage. It’s all reminiscent of the Lower City in «Blade Runner»: the eerie haze, neon signs cluttering the streets.
Two neighbors — Song Wat Street and Chinatown — are as different as order and chaos. Yet both, undoubtedly, have their own beauty. But it’s on Song Wat Street where you can explore what people united by a common goal can achieve. For a long time, nobody even glanced at the street, and local entrepreneurs were scratching their heads: could it be that not even a random passerby could escape Chinatown and make it to us? So they came up with the idea of creating the first guidebook that would showcase their street. They formed something like a task force, hired a photographer, and wrote the story of each entrepreneur. Then they organized a conference to mark the publication of the book, inviting bloggers and local celebrities. Voilà! Now Song Wat Street is a city landmark, and the cafes are never empty.
On the street, there are many unassuming doors. Behind each one lies a small business — a pottery workshop, a tea house, a boutique hotel, a showroom — anything you can imagine. From the outside, you would never guess the interesting design within. So, escaping the heat on Song Wat by peeking behind every door is a great idea. You might stumble upon some amazing projects. For example, the F.V. restaurant. When you enter, you’ll find decorations that recreate authentic Bangkok architecture from the past.
This unusual café pays special attention to local fruits and vegetables, and they use what others consider weeds. Try the tea made from mayarab (sleepy grass), ivy gourd, and bottle gourd, or the lotus seed milk. Snacks and desserts are prepared according to Thai recipes passed down from grandmothers. Highlights include the pomelo salad in a crispy shell and rice with starfruit jam. And all of this is set in quite charming interiors. Song Wat Street is full of such unique projects. Enjoy!
