Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

It (is/was) best either to drive to Damnoen Saduak floating market, about 5 km (3 mi.) from Ratchaburi, or to travel by local bus from Bangkok (Southern Bus Terminal). There (is/are) taxi boats and public transport boats which depart from Damnoen Saduak's landing stage.
While the capital city Bangkok (barely retains/has barely retained) one of the floating markets, which once (gain/gained) it the nickname "Venice of the East", one remains in the province of Ratchaburi, with which the Thai tourist authorities (were heavily involved/are heavily involved). Damnoen Saduak market (suggests/suggest) the way of life found in Bangkok itself in the not too distant past. To be fair to the great crowds of tourists who visit it, the market, in existence since 1856, (is moved/was moved) in 1984 from its original site on Klong Ton Khem to Damnoen Saduak canal.

In the past

Floating markets (are/were) not only places to buy and sell everyday objects, they also (fulfill/fulfilled) an important social function as a center of communication. Traders (come/would come) to them from near and far.

Still

The system of canals (is/was) confusing, there (are/were) a total of 200 klongs linked by small side canals. Brisk trade—including some classic bartering— (is/was) carried out on the narrow canals. Women (row/rowed) skillfully past roaring motor boats, their wobbly craft filled to the brim with all manner of goods. All the produce of agricultural Thailand (is/was) available here: fruit and vegetables, fish and meat. Less attractive (are/were) the many souvenir shops which (sell/sold) the usual trinkets but at a higher price than elsewhere in Thailand.

(Source: “Damnoen Saduak” Retrieved from http://www.planetware.com/ratchaburi/damnoen-saduak-tha-rb-rbds.htm
on August 11, 2010)