Chatuchak market Bangkok
Every weekend the Chatuchak market comes alive in Bangkok, and it is absolutely huge. If you are a keen bargain hunter you will be in your element here: the seemingly endless labyrinth of shops and stalls would defeat all but the most meticulous and determined shopper. There are around 15,000 shops in the market and once you get stuck into the browsing you can soon become overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the place. It’s become a tourist attraction in Bangkok and well worth a visit even to simply window shop and people watch!
Many of the stalls sell souvenirs and handicrafts so it’s a great place to stock up before you return home; reams of luxurious Thai silk are on sale at rock-bottom prices; fake designer clothes can be bought which are barely distinguishable from the genuine articles; jewellery, ornaments, watches, DVDs, CDs... the list is endless and if you want to seek out every potential bargain perhaps you’d better come to the market on both Saturday and Sunday!
If you’re particularly sensitive to animal cruelty be warned, you may be appalled by the squalid conditions in which some of the animals are kept in the many pet shops in the market.
If you need a break from the haggling and the shopping, there are many food stalls in and around the market selling a wide range of cheap Thai food. Usually it is of the snack variety, so expect barbequed satays, phad thai (fried noodles) and noodle curry. Or if you are feeling particularly adventurous, a bag of fried grasshoppers or crickets can be purchased from one of the insect stalls.
Since the market appeals mainly to Bangkok’s Thai population, the prices of the goods on sale here are extremely low, and you will often be cursing yourself for paying double the Chatuchak price for something elsewhere in Bangkok. But even the first price quoted to you can be lowered by haggling with the shop’s proprietor: usually the ‘real’ price will be about ½ to 2/3 of the price first given. Be careful not to be too stubborn with your haggling though. It’s not worth being picky over 10 or 20 baht, it just causes friction and both buyer and seller lose face – not a situation anyone wants.
If you get too carried away with your expenditure and you need to replenish your funds, there are a few ATMs and foreign exchange booths. There are also a few toilet blocks, a meeting point and a police booth.
To get the Chatuchak Market, take a BTS Skytrain to Mo Chit station. You can’t really miss the market from there, but signs point the way anyway. And don’t forget, it’s only open on Saturday and Sunday. Opening hours are 8:00 until around 18:00 but some shops stay open around until 8 o’clock.
Note! The 1stop guides do not condone nor wish to promote the selling or buying of fake goods and labels.
