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 The
Chatuchak Weekend Market is virtually a
shopper’s paradise for those of you who like a
bit of crazy shopping and haggling for a good bargain!
The place is amazing simply in the wide variety of goods
on offer. Apart from traditional Thai items, you could
pick up anything and everything that you can possibly
think of. From contemporary art to household cutlery,
exotic plants, to Thai sculptures, clothes, hand-crafted
stainless steel cutlery, candles, ceramics, contemporary
paintings, you name it, they have it! If you have
several hours to spare, it is also a fun place to browse
at whim and enjoy the hectic, yet enjoyable atmosphere
surrounding the place. Flea market lovers will love
sections of this market which sell little knick knacks
ranging from coins, stamps, Buddha amulets, antique
books, collector’s toys, china ware, ornaments and
antique telephones.
Aside from trendy one-off clothes and accessories, other
best buys include antique lacquer ware, traditional
cotton clothing, crafts from northern Thailand, jeans,
silver jewellery and ceramics. If you are a clothes
horse, the Chatuchak weekend Market is your ideal
destination since more than one third of the market is
dedicated to stalls selling clothes. Whether it is
sarongs, T-shirts, jeans, Thai cotton dresses or Thai
and Chinese Silks, you have it all here.
Like in many markets in Bangkok there is plenty of
bargaining that you will
have to do. It would be a safe bet in fact to quote a
price 50% less than what is being asked for. However,
the average tourist would get a good bargain in products
like Thai silks, handicrafts, gems and jewelry, soft
furnishings, wooden carvings and Thai furniture which
would cost much more in other Thai markets.
Wildlife and Plants
 Yet
another interesting section of the Chatuchak weekend
Market is the wildlife and plants section. You can
have your heart filled with exotic flowers, Feng-shui
bamboos, orchids, and many more. The pet section sells
all sorts of birds, dogs and cats, and other exotic
animals, too. Fishes and aquariums are a popular item to
be seen everywhere around the market; especially the
iridescent red and blue Siamese fighting fish which are
kept in individual jars and shielded from each other’s
aggressive stares by sheets of cardboards. The animal
section is also known to be the hub as a clearing-house
for protected and endangered species such as gibbons,
palm cockatoos, and Indian pied hornbills, many of them
smuggled in from Camodia and Laos and sold to private
collectors and foreign zoos.
You might also come across illegal cock fights in the
back section where demonstrations are continuous. For
reptile lovers, the Chatuchak Weekend Market offers all
kinds of rare and poisonous snakes, frogs, geckos,
turtles and even baby alligators!
This and That
Most shoppers swear by the amazing
prices at the
Chatuchak Weekend Market. And if you are on a
tight budget, it would be well advised to not venture on
any shopping trips before you visit this immense market
as you might just happen to find the same products for a
lot less. An interesting tip to your shopping trip would
be to check out on Thai furniture, which is beautifully
handcrafted with a lot of love to detail and perfection.
Another interesting buy could be stonework designed for
creative use of water.
For the hungry visitors there is no shortage on
food outlets, particularly
at the southern end of market. You can sample some of
the exotic local street food here such as Pad Thai and
other famous Isaan dishes (check our street food guide).
Since the Thais love their food you will never be too
far from any food stall – whether it be a small noodle
stall between two noisy animal shops, or a pushcart
selling small Thai snacks in the middle of a seemingly
endless crowd of shoppers.
Historical Facts about Chatuchak
The Chatuchak Weekend Market, which is
situated near the northern edge of Bangkok, is more than
20 years old and ever growing in size. It is visited by
most tourists and locals for buying the smallest goods
to the largest artifacts. Housing more than 15,000
stalls in a total land area of 35 acres, the market is
thought of as one of the biggest in the world, as far as
weekend markets are concerned. With around 200,000
visitors and an estimated 30 million Baht (US$750,000)
spend each day; the market is a huge storehouse of
traditional Thai handicrafts and all sorts of knick
knacks one can possibly think of.
The market has seen plenty of changes in its over twenty
years of existence. It was originally built in a reverse
‘L’ shape where a clock tower governs the center of the
courtyard. Some of the stalls have been air conditioned
but mostly not. One of the major changes has been the
restriction of cars in the market area making it less
congested and noisy for shoppers. Though the market has
long since been divided into several zones for
convenience of the shopper, there are not rigidly
enforced. As a result there’s a profusion of shops just
anywhere at all, probably adding to the maze like fun
environment of the place. Other additions to the
traditional market is that of the JJ Mall, a
fully air conditioned market covering three floors.
How to get there
The Chatuchak Weekend Market is located towards
the North of Bangkok. You can easily get there by
hopping on the
BTS Sky Train and getting off at Mo Chit station,
descending via exit 1 and 3, where the market is located
adjacent to Chatuchak Park. Another option is to use the
MRT Metro, getting of at Khamphaeng Phet station and
using exit 1 which will take you right up to the market.
Alternatively of course you can take a
Taxi to drive you there. The fare from downtown
Bangkok to the Market costs about 120 Baht and will take
about 20 to 30 Minutes.
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