Tha Sadet Market

Tha Sadet means the royal landing, from a pier where kings came ashore, and the market has run along the Nong Khai riverfront since - a covered lane of several hundred metres between the road and the Mekong, with Laos on the far bank. What it sells reflects that position: Lao textiles and silver, Vietnamese goods, Chinese household items and electronics, dried food, herbs, silk and a great deal of general merchandise that crossed the river, which is why it was long known as the Indochina market. Trade patterns have changed since the Friendship Bridge opened in 1994 and the market is more oriented to Thai and visitor shopping than it once was. A riverside promenade runs alongside with restaurants looking across to Laos, and it is where Nong Khai walks in the evening. The market is at its busiest late morning through the afternoon and closes in the evening.

What you actually see

• The covered lane - several hundred metres between the road and the river.
• The cross-river goods - Lao textiles and silver, Vietnamese and Chinese items.
• The Mekong promenade - the riverside walk with Laos on the far bank.
• The royal landing - the pier the market takes its name from.

When to go

November to February. Late morning to afternoon for the market; evening for the riverside restaurants and the promenade. One to two hours.

Honest expectations

Much of the stock is ordinary imported merchandise rather than local craft. Bargaining is expected. The market closes in the evening while the promenade fills. Crowded in the covered lane.

Nearby

Sala Kaew Ku sculpture park is east; the Friendship Bridge to Laos is west.