A Field Story: Auntie Boonmee's First Morning Back at Her Fish Stall

Auntie Boonmee has sold freshwater fish at a riverside fresh market in Bang Khla district, Chachoengsao, for more than twenty years. Her regulars include local housewives, small made-to-order restaurants and visitors who stop by after paying respects at the famous temple in town. This year the Bang Pakong River overflowed into the market and the water stayed for almost a week. Her stall sat knee-deep in brown water the whole time.

On the morning the water finally drained away, she arrived at five o'clock as she always does. What she saw made her stand still for a long time. The market floor was covered with mud almost a hand's width deep. The drain beside her stall was blocked with rubbish and rotting vegetables. The smell of fish scraps and meat left behind on the day the water rose had mixed with the stink of river mud until it was hard to breathe. On her stainless steel counter there was a trail of rat footprints, and under the stall she found droppings in several places. The concrete wall behind her stall already had a dark band of mold growing along the old waterline.

She and her son scrubbed for two full days. They poured toilet cleaner, scattered washing powder and blasted everything with a pressure washer. Still the smell did not go away completely. Several regular customers walked past and said kindly, "We'll come back when the market is clean, Auntie." Others asked her directly whether the market had been disinfected yet, because they were worried their grandchildren might get sick. She knew that if her customers did not return that week, the income she had already lost during the flood would only grow.

Auntie Boonmee's situation is being repeated at fresh markets all over Chachoengsao during the 2026 floods: riverside markets, community weekend markets and roadside stalls alike. The problem is not only the dirt you can see. It is the bacteria, mold and disease-carrying animals you cannot see, and they affect the health of vendors and shoppers directly.

Why a Fresh Market Is a Hygiene Hot Spot After Floodwater Recedes

Even on a normal day, a fresh market is full of raw food, food waste, water and humidity. When floodwater carries sewage from drains, septic tanks and animal pens into the market, it becomes an ideal place for germs to collect. Once the water drains away, the mud that is left behind holds those germs on the floor, in the gutters, around the legs of every stall and in every corner.

Markets also attract animals. Rats driven out of flooded fields and drains look for food and dry shelter, and a market offers both. Flies arrive quickly once food waste starts to rot in the heat. Standing water in blocked gutters becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes within days. All of these problems pile up on top of each other, and they are exactly what a vendor does not need when trying to restart the business.

The health risks

• Diarrhea and food poisoning. Bacteria such as E. coli and other organisms from sewage can contaminate chopping boards, knives, display trays and the vendor's hands, and from there reach the food customers take home to their families.
• Leptospirosis. Rats escaping the water often move into markets because there is food. Their urine in mud and puddles is a source of infection, especially for anyone walking barefoot or with cuts on their feet.
• Allergies and respiratory problems. Mold on walls, under stalls and in storerooms releases spores into the air. Vendors who spend many hours a day in the market are at risk of coughing, sneezing and asthma flare-ups.
• Skin infections. Long contact with contaminated water and mud can cause itchy rashes, soggy damaged skin on the feet and other skin infections.
• Mosquito-borne illness. Blocked gutters and puddles around the market can quickly breed mosquitoes, adding the risk of dengue fever to everything else.

The cost in income and reputation

For any vendor, cleanliness is the heart of selling fresh food. A single customer who gets sick after buying from the market can start a rumor that travels through the whole community in a day. Today everyone carries a camera, and one photo of mud or a rat in the market posted on social media can keep shoppers away for weeks. Market operators also have to deal with sanitation checks from local authorities, who are understandably strict after a flood.

Time matters too. Most vendors cannot afford to stay closed for long, because daily sales pay for the family's daily expenses. Restoring the market quickly and effectively is far more valuable than scrubbing again and again without knowing whether the germs are really gone.

Why Ordinary Cleaning Is Not Enough for a Flooded Market

1. Pouring bleach or toilet cleaner. These kill germs on the surfaces they touch, but in a food area the chlorine smell clings to produce and stings the eyes and noses of vendors and customers. Corrosive cleaners also damage steel stall frames and stainless steel counters over time.

2. Pressure washing alone. A pressure washer is great for shifting mud, but it does not disinfect. It can even spray contaminated droplets onto neighboring stalls.

3. Rat poison or glue traps alone. These may reduce the number of rats, but they do nothing about the germs rats have already left on surfaces. Poison in a food-selling area must also be handled with great care.

4. Incense or air freshener. This only hides the problem. Rotten smells are produced by bacteria breaking down organic matter. As long as the bacteria remain, the smell returns every morning.

5. Waiting for the sun. Sunlight helps dry open areas, but it never reaches under stalls, inside drains or into enclosed storerooms and cold rooms where most of the contamination hides.

What a market really needs is thorough disinfection with a product that is suitable for food areas, combined with odor and mold removal in enclosed spaces. That is exactly the work WHD specializes in.

The Solution: Chemgene HLD4H Fogging Plus Ozone Treatment by WHD

World Health Disinfection (WHD) provides professional disinfection fogging and ozone treatment for public areas, commercial buildings and food businesses. For a fresh market after a flood, we design the work in two complementary parts.

Part one: ULV fogging with Chemgene HLD4H

CHEMGENE HLD4H is a high-level disinfectant effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi. It contains no chlorine, does not corrode stainless steel or other metals, and has no harsh smell, which makes it well suited to areas where food is displayed. We use an ultra-low-volume (ULV) fogger that spreads a very fine mist to the legs of the stalls, under counters, along the gutters and up onto the walls and roof framework, places a mop or brush simply cannot reach.

Part two: ozone treatment for enclosed spaces

For cold rooms, storerooms, market toilets and enclosed stalls, we use the Master Ozone Generator. Ozone is a gas with very strong oxidizing power. It penetrates hidden corners, destroys mold and bacteria, and breaks down the molecules that cause rotten odors. After ventilation it naturally reverts to oxygen and leaves no residue on surfaces.

Our six-step service process

1. Site survey. We walk the market with the owner or market committee, noting the flood level, where mud has collected, signs of rats, the condition of drains and which enclosed spaces need ozone treatment.
2. Mud and waste removal advice. Disinfectant works best on clean surfaces. We advise the right order for shoveling mud, flushing drains and separating organic waste before we begin.
3. Chemgene HLD4H fogging. We fog the whole area: stalls, walkways, walls, gutters and every spot where rat droppings were found, then allow the full contact time.
4. Ozone treatment of enclosed rooms. Cold rooms, storerooms and toilets are closed and treated according to their size. Nobody and no animals may be inside during this step.
5. Ventilation. Doors and windows are opened until all ozone has dissipated, before vendors return.
6. Re-check and advice. We check odor and condition after treatment and give practical advice on daily cleaning and long-term rat prevention.

Working around market hours: We can schedule the job when the market is closed, such as in the afternoon and evening or on a market holiday, so trading is not disrupted and vendors can reopen the next morning.

Clear communication for shoppers: Many market managers find it helpful to put up a simple notice at the entrance after treatment, explaining that the market has been cleaned, fogged with disinfectant and that enclosed rooms have been ozone treated. Shoppers who were worried about hygiene appreciate knowing what has been done, and vendors no longer have to answer the same question at every stall. Honest, specific information builds far more trust than a vague promise that everything is fine. We are happy to explain each step of our process to your committee so you can pass accurate information on to your customers and to the local health officers who may visit after the flood.

10 Reasons Bang Khla Markets Choose WHD Disinfection

1. A disinfectant suited to food areas. Chemgene HLD4H is chlorine-free with no harsh smell to taint food.
2. No corrosion of stainless stalls. Counters, chillers and steel frames are protected.
3. Fine mist reaches every corner. Under stalls, in gutters and up in the roof framework. See our disinfection service.
4. Rotten odors removed at the source. Ozone breaks down odor molecules in cold rooms and storerooms. Read more about ozone odor removal.
5. Lower risk of diarrhea. Food-contact points such as boards, trays and counters are disinfected.
6. Former rat areas treated. Spots with droppings and rat trails are disinfected, lowering leptospirosis risk.
7. Work outside trading hours. No need to close the market for days.
8. Customer confidence. Vendors can tell shoppers the market has been professionally disinfected.
9. Ongoing protection. Combine with our mosquito spraying service around the market to tackle post-flood mosquitoes.
10. Easy to reach. Call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268. We serve Bang Khla, Mueang Chachoengsao and nearby districts.

Before and After Fogging and Ozone Treatment

What Vendors Say

"We scrubbed for two days and the smell was still there. The team came in the afternoon after the market closed, fogged everything and treated the cold room. By the next morning the smell was much lighter. I could tell my customers honestly that the market had been disinfected, and my regulars started buying fish from me again."
— Auntie Boonmee, fish vendor, fresh market in Bang Khla, Chachoengsao (field story)

In another case, Khun Somsak, who manages a community market in a neighboring subdistrict, had dozens of stalls flooded at once. Instead of leaving every vendor to clean on their own, he asked our team to disinfect the whole market in a single visit. The result was one consistent standard of cleanliness across every stall and a simple, clear message for shoppers.

What Vendors and Market Managers Should Do After the Water Recedes

• Protect yourself first. Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and a face mask while shoveling mud and washing down, to reduce the risk of leptospirosis and breathing mold spores.
• Throw away food that touched floodwater. Fresh produce, dry goods and condiments that were flooded should not be sold, even if the packaging looks fine.
• Clear mud and flush drains. Restore normal drainage and eliminate standing water that breeds mosquitoes and germs.
• Look for signs of rats. Droppings, gnaw marks and holes in walls. Point them out to our team so those areas get special attention.
• Check the electrics. Have an electrician inspect sockets and chillers that were under water before switching them on.
• Book disinfection. Contact WHD to schedule fogging and ozone treatment while the market is closed.

After professional disinfection, daily care matters just as much. Many vendors keep a CHEMGENE HLD4H spray bottle (750 ml) at the stall to wipe down counters and chopping boards every evening after packing up. It is a simple routine that keeps standards high long after the flood.

Market managers can also help by setting a shared cleaning schedule, providing covered bins for food waste and keeping gutters clear. When every stall follows the same routine, rats and flies have far fewer places to hide, and the market's reputation for cleanliness grows week by week.

Why Riverside Markets in Bang Khla Need Extra Care

Bang Khla sits right on the Bang Pakong River, and many of its markets grew up along the water because boats once brought goods and customers. That history gives the town its charm, but it also means riverside markets are often the first places to flood and the last places to dry out. Floors are frequently at or near river level, drains run straight toward the water, and when the river is high those drains can back up instead of emptying.

The result is that contamination does not leave all at once. Even after the main flood recedes, a heavy rain or a high tide can push dirty water back up through the drains for days or weeks. Each time it happens, a new layer of silt and bacteria is left behind. That is why a single wash rarely solves the problem in a riverside market, and why disinfection should be planned together with drain clearing and a follow-up check.

The same buildings often have older wooden or concrete structures with many cracks, gaps and hollow spaces where moisture lingers and mold thrives. Ozone treatment of enclosed rooms and fine-mist fogging of these structures are especially useful here, because they reach places that no brush or hose can.

A Simple Daily Hygiene Checklist for Vendors

Professional disinfection gives your stall a clean starting point. The habits below help keep it that way in the weeks after a flood, when the risk of contamination is still higher than usual.

• Start the day with clean hands and clean tools. Wash hands with soap before setting up, and rinse knives, boards and trays before the first sale.
• Keep raw and ready-to-eat food apart. Use separate boards and containers so raw fish or meat never drips onto cooked or ready-to-eat food.
• Use ice and cold storage properly. Keep fresh fish and meat cold throughout the day, and throw away melted ice water rather than letting it run across the floor.
• Bag food waste immediately. Scraps left in open bins attract flies and rats within hours in hot weather.
• Wipe down at closing time. Spray and wipe counters, scales and boards with disinfectant every evening, and let them air dry.
• Check under the stall weekly. Look for droppings, gnaw marks or damp patches, and deal with them before they become a bigger problem.
• Keep gutters flowing. Remove leaves and scraps so water drains away and does not become a mosquito breeding ground.

None of these steps is expensive, but together they make a real difference to how clean the market feels, and that is what customers notice first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does the market need to close for disinfection?
A: We usually work while the market is closed. Open areas can be used again once the disinfectant has dried and the space has been ventilated. We will confirm the timing after the site survey.

Q: Is Chemgene HLD4H safe in food-selling areas?
A: Chemgene HLD4H is chlorine-free, non-corrosive and has no harsh smell, so it suits food display areas. Food should still be removed during fogging, and food-contact utensils should be washed as normal before use.

Q: Does the service get rid of rats?
A: Our service focuses on disinfecting the areas rats have used and contaminated. For the rats themselves, we advise on sealing entry points and managing waste so they have less food and shelter.

Q: Can you ozone-treat a cold room that still has stock inside?
A: Stock and fresh food should always be removed first, and no people or animals may be inside during treatment. The room must be ventilated until no ozone smell remains before goods go back in.

Q: Can a single small stall book the service?
A: Yes. However, treating several stalls or the whole market together gives one consistent standard and is better value to plan. Call 065-556-6294 for details.

Q: Which areas do you cover?
A: Bang Khla, Mueang Chachoengsao, Bang Pakong, Bang Nam Priao and nearby provinces, as well as Bangkok and its surrounding area. Message LINE @whd268.

Get Your Market Clean and Your Customers Confident Again

Every day the market still smells and harbors germs is a day customers stay away. Contact World Health Disinfection today.

See Disinfection Service – Click Here

Book Ozone Treatment – Click Here

Call 065-556-6294 | LINE @whd268 | Email worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com

Related Links

• Ozone treatment for odors and chemical residue
• CHEMGENE HLD4H disinfectant
• Mosquito spraying service
• All WHD articles
• External sources: WHO – Floods and health and Thailand Department of Health