The physical characteristics of the local markets in Chiang Mai province

Abstract

“Kad” is a northern Thai dialect for the word “market”. In the past, the market is the center of consumer goods trades for local people. It is a place where people in the community can interact, exchange ideas, and practice their knowledge regarding local cultures and lifestyles. This article aims to analyze the characteristics of vernacular markets in Chiang Mai in order to comprehend the architectural traits of vernacular markets from the past to the present. The qualitative research methods used in the study are survey, measurement and interviews. Three markets selected by creteria include “Kad Mae Pong”, “Kad Ming Muang”, and Kad Thung Siao”.

The findings of physical characteristics of the local markets in Chiang Mai include several aspects. The location of the markets that usually settles in the center of the community The plans normally consist of big buildings that have numerous stalls in the main building and a long linear walkway with a checkered pattern to make it convenient to manage and cleans. The characteristics of the selling area in the market, the way the products are displayed are varied. These depend on the preference of the sellers and the behavior of customers. The characteristics of the product presentation can be categorized into two patterns. The first type is to put everything on the stand to sell as much as possible. The second type is to grid the area in the shop to sell the products while allowing customers to enter the stall. Plan arragement can be diverse including U-shaped, L-shaped, and single lined plans. The structure of the building and the material used for constructing local markets, which can be classified into two types. The first type is made of hardwood with a gable roof that covered the whole area to support the wooden stalls. The second type is a small shed. The construction of this shed is made of local materials while in the urban area metal sheet roof, steel poles, and concrete stalls are used. The factors that keep the identity of these markets are the relationships between the community and identical local cultures that create the local sense of place. There is bonding between sellers, consumers, and market owners since they live in the same community and treat each other as families. From the factors mentioned above, vernacular markets survive and the lessons from this study can be guidelines for further conservation, rehabilitation, and continuation of the local markets.