Bangkok Flower Market and Thai Floral Art Workshop (Social Impact Tour)

Bangkok Flower Market and Thai Floral Art Workshop (Social Impact Tour)

Our tour focuses on making social impact on local communities and embracing our guests with Thai folk wisdom. On the one hand, we hire skillful floral artisans from nearby communities, where many residents could not afford English language classes. Teaching floral handicraft to foreign guests is their opportunity to learn English and earn extra income at the same time. On the other hand, we offer a hands-on workshop which you will need to stab many Thai jasmines into a skewer. It is very challenging to “not losing track”, i.e. to align the top flower with the bottom one throughout a skewer. Here are the highlights of our tour:

1. Walk in the flower market to explore numerous flower selections.

2. Lotus folding workshop with a local seller.

3. Visit Kalayanamitr Temple, a smoothing blend of Thai and Chinese Buddhism.

4. 90 minutes of floral workshop (Garland & Bai Si) with Thai artisans.

5. Visit Baan Kudi Chin Museum, the learning place about Siam–Portuguese lineage.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Pass By: BTS Tourist Information Center - Saphan Taksin BTS, Saphan Taksin BTS, Bangkok Thailand

8.30am Let's meet at BTS Saphan Taksin Exit No.2 (toward Sathorn Pier). Welcome to a social impact tour in Bangkok!

Stop At: Pak Khlong Talat (Flower Market), Jakkrapet Road, Bangkok 10200 Thailand

8.50am Ride the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Yod Piman Pier. Have a short photo stop at Yod Piman River Walk (with a beautiful river scenery). We will go explore Pak Khlong Talad, the original and largest flower market of Bangkok with an extensive of produce selection. Many local florists visit this market in the early morning to buy fresh flowers in bulk to make floral handicraft. On the way, we will visit the Shrine of Somdet Boonma, one of the major founders of Krung Ratanakosin (or Bangkok, Thailand’s current capitol). You will see how Thai people use flower to pay respect to the revered person.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Pak Khlong Talat (Flower Market), Jakkrapet Road, Bangkok 10200 Thailand

9.20am A mini floral handicraft workshop with a local lotus seller. You will learn how to fold Bua Luang (cone-shaped lotus) and Bua Chut (ball-shaped lotus). We will bring our folded lotuses to pay respect to a buddha image at Kalayanamitr Temple (our next destination). Paying respect to the lord Buddha is voluntary. You may not need to do so if you have religious restrictions.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Wat Kalayanamit Varamahavihara, 371 Thetsaban Sai 1 Road Wat Kalayanamitr, Thonburi, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

9.40am We will ride a ferry to Kalayanamitr Temple and have a short stop to feed fish at the pier in front of Kalayanamitr Temple. Thai people believe that feeding fish is a merit making which helps them to have a fertile and peaceful life. A bottle of Thai herbal drink is provided while waiting for the ferry.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Wat Kalayanamit Varamahavihara, 371 Thetsaban Sai 1 Road Wat Kalayanamitr, Thonburi, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

9.50am Enter into the Kalayanamitr Temple, the temple with a smoothing blend of Thai and Chinese Buddhism belief. You will pay respect to the Sam Por Kong (one of the largest golden buddha images in Bangkok). You will feel that your body is so small when compared to the size of this buddha image! You will see the beautiful mural painting about peony flower, the symbol of Chinese nation. You will see Thai people paying respect to the lord Buddha in Chinese tradition (by using Chinese incenses and candle sticks). You will ring the biggest bell of Bangkok, which Thai students ring it to pray for academic success!

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Wat Kalayanamit Varamahavihara, 371 Thetsaban Sai 1 Road Wat Kalayanamitr, Thonburi, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

10.10am One-and-half hour of floral handicraft workshop with Thai local artisans in Kalayanamitr Temple. With a social enterprise in mind, we hire skillful floral artisans from Kudi Khow community, where many residents could not afford English language classes. The artisans will teach you how to make a beautiful jasmine garland (used to pay respect to the lord Buddha) and/or Bai Si (used to worship the celestial teacher to pray for the success in art and craft). To overcome the language barrier, our guide will be a translator between you and the artisans throughout the floral workshop. Moreover, we would be very appreciated if you could teach some basic English words to our floral artisans. Pls note that the types of floral handicraft are subject to change due to seasonal availability of flowers.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Kian Un Keng Shrine, Thon Buri, Bangkok, จังหวัด กรุงเทพมหานคร 10600, Thailand

11.40am Visit the Guanyin Shrine, one of the oldest shrines in Thailand since King Taksin’s reign (230 years ago). This Guanyin statue is different from other shrines because mostly the Guanyin in other shrines are in standing position, but here the Guanyin is in sitting position. The Guanyin statue is made of wood carved and coated with gold. Thai people usually pray to the Guanyin to recover from diseases and illness.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Santa Cruz Church, 112 Thesaban 1 Rd. Wat Kalaya, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

11.50am Let’s delve into the history of Portuguese people in Thailand. We will walk to Santa Cruz Church (also known as Kudi Chin) near Kalayanamitr Temple. The church was built when the King Taksin grants a portion of land to Portuguese people in Thailand to build a Roman Catholic church. It was the main Catholic church in Bangkok and served as the seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam until 1821, when Assumption Cathedral was completed. This place would be your nice photo taking spot!

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Baan Kudichin Museum, 271 Soi Kudichin 3, Thetsaban Sai 1 Rd, Bangkok 10600 Thailand

12.00pm (4.30pm) Visit the Baan Kudi Chin Museum, the learning place of local culture about history, religion, and food recipes of the Siam–Portuguese lineage who still lives in the area. You will have a chance to try Kudi Chin snack, whose recipe was invented by Miss Marie Guimar during the reign of the Great King Narai (300 years ago) and exclusively available in Kudi Chin area only. We will also have a fun talk with Thai locals here.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Yodpiman River Walk, 174, Chakphet Road Wang Burapha Phirom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200 Thailand

12.20pm We will cross a ferry returning to Yodpiman River Walk, Sathorn Pier, and BTS Saphan Taksin, respectively (expected arrival 12.50pm). Alternatively, you may enjoy a lunch at a lovely restaurant in Yodpiman River Walk and return to the BTS Saphan Taksin yourself. Thank for letting us serving you.

Duration: 30 minutes