Muang Mai Market, the main market for fresh produce from the surrounding farms around Chiang Mai, found on the banks of the Ping River near the Municipality Office, has returned to its pre-covid bustle and hustle. And as always, the heavy traffic has also returned to the area, causing constant congestion during all hours of the day, and many of the night.
Vendors have long had the habit of simply parking their pickup trucks or vehicles and selling straight from the side of the road, creating bottle-necks.
The municipality has therefore been working with the traffic police to organise the market better by only allowing roadside vendors to park and sell between 8pm and 6am.
Only shoppers may park along the road side, and only in designated areas. Vendors are also asked to move their produce to sell on the pavements, allowing one metre for vendors and one for shoppers. This new order has been put in place for a fortnight and appears to be alleviating traffic in the area.