Sing Buri's soul food

Homecooked desserts at Wat Phikunthong market . DAILY XPRESS/PHOOWADON DUANGMEE

Nestled by the Noi River in Tha Chang, Sing Buri province, Wat Phikunthong is famous for the country's largest sitting Buddha image - 42-metres high - and its onetime abbot, the revered monk Luang Phor Phrae. Up until recently, weekenders stopped by the temple for a quick pray before motoring off in search of a restaurant and the delicacies this province is famous for.

These days though, visitors tend to hang around the temple much longer, undisturbed by stomachgrowls of hunger. Take a stroll through the temple's back gate on any Saturday or Sunday and you'll find out why: the feast laid out and waiting in the food market that's sprung up on the riverbank.

Local vendors showcase regional specialities like fish cakes, papaya salad and homecooked desserts, as well as sensational bowls of noodles sold piping hot from small boats.

Keep strolling, and a lively cast of characters begins to emerge. Couples sip iced coffee together while mothers coax young daughters to slurp up noodles and older daytrippers josh with the vendors.

"We've had the market up and running for several months," says a proud local, adding that it's part of a community effort to bring back regional flavours and home cooking. "The ingredients are all from local farms."

Wat Phikunthong's market is still small in comparison to Samut Songkhram's famous floating market in Amphawa, but it has a promising future. For a taste of what Sing Buri has to offer, you couldn't do better.

XTRA

Relish the riverside

>> The market at Wat Phikunthong runs on Saturdays and Sundays.

>> Hungry? The best time for a visit is between 11am and 2pm.