(VOVWORLD) - The Co Ma market in Thuan Chau district, Son La province, opened in 2007. The district’s Mong ethnic people gather there every Thursday.
From early morning, the market is packed. Some come here to sell their vegetables, poultry, and pigs. Some come just to look around.
Lau Thi Do of Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien province, said, “I came to this market because I’ve heard that it’s a lot of fun. I have no idea what I may buy. I brought my children with me. We arrived at about at 6am.”
The local ethnic minority people wear their colorful traditional costumes to Co Ma market. Vu A Thanh, a local, came here to sell chickens and buy his family some new clothes.
Thanh said: “I will buy some clothes for my wife and my children, hang out, and visit relatives. Each set of clothes costs about 350,000 VND (15 USD).”
For sale at Co Ma market are home appliances, farm produce, clothing and accessories made by Thai and Mong ethnic people, and specialties from neighboring Dien Bien and Lai Chau province. Porridge and rice noodles are served for breakfast.
Giang Thi Denh of Phong Tho district, Lai Chau province, said: “I’ve rented a kiosk at this market for three years now to sell a variety of fabrics and clothes. On a good day, I can earn eight million VND (345 USD) a day.”
Co Ma resident Va A Senh frequents the market for trading. He told VOV: “I sell steam cookers for 200,000 VND (9 USD) each. I sold three of them today. I also sell chickens, pigs, and vegetables.”
Mong folk songs are sung at Co Ma market by young people looking for a love interest. Many locals come here just to chat and exchange farming advice.
According to Va Phong Sa, Vice Chairman of Co Ma commune’s People’s Committee, “More sorts of goods are sold at the market when the New Year holiday draws near. People in nearby areas also come here to sell their products. Now that local people have this market to sell their home-grown stuff, their lives have improved.”
The Co Ma market closes at noon. That’s when people say goodbye and promise to see each other again at the next market session.