The governor said the market would be set up along both sides of the canal and contractors would be hired to landscape the areas so they were fit for purpose. Saphan Lek was a hodgepodge of makeshift stalls and booths noted for selling cheap items ranging from toys and electronic gadgets to household tools.
When Bangkok City Hall authorised the demolition of the market in October 2015 the plan was to give the land back to the public and utilise the canal as a transport route. This never happened and the canal paths have since taken on a rather derelict and forlorn appearance.
Critics of the demolition of Saphan Lek after it had existed for more than three decades said it was like wiping away a piece of Bangkok’s history. They said later that the attempted gentrification had turned the surrounding district into a ghost town. 12GO ASIA notes that even without Saphan Lek, Bangkok is a real treasure trove of markets.
Walking street market to rise from the ashes of Bangkok’s Saphan Lek
News in Asia
Bangkok’s municipal authorities say a chic new walking street will be set up on the site of the former canal-side market known as Saphan Lek. City governor Aswin Kwanmuang claims the new market at Klong Ong Ang Canal will be less of an eyesore, more hygienic and better organised than its predecessor.