“It’s the thought that counts,” as the old saying goes whenever we give and receive gifts from our family and friends during the holiday season. This, however, doesn’t mean we should just slack off when choosing the gifts we will buy for our loved ones. Because out there, beyond the reaches of the usual giant malls, are awesome items being sold online by various groups of people and local communities all over the country. These are local products that may not be popular yet as gift ideas—but appear to be the perfect ones to hand out this Christmas season.

“I come with the rain,” I muttered to myself while I watched the last sheen of daylight give way to dark clouds, casting over the countryside and heading to Bandung. I spent the three-hour train ride from Jakarta uneventfully fighting off sleep as I opted to stare at the passing lush scenery as much as I could.

When one thought of places to see in Thailand outside of Bangkok, most people would cite Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket, and Pattaya as just some of the most popular locations. Almost no one mentioned a hidden gem of a place called Nakhon Phanom.

Taking over the place of an abandoned railway station in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok, the Ratchada Train Market spread out on an open-air field dotted with colorful tents selling the top of the pops of Thailand's street food culture, along with clothing items and an endless array of fascinating trinkets to fill up your suitcase—or if you were like me, your backpack.