Covering 35 acres of land with more than 15,000 stalls and 200,000 visitors every Saturday and Sunday, Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is without a doubt the largest market to be found in the city and one of the biggest and most famous markets in the world.
You can buy pretty much anything and everything there: household accessories, handicrafts, art, antiques, live animals, books, music, clothes, food, plants and flowers. The list could go on almost forever and if variety is what you are looking for, Chatuchak market is the place to go.
Thai handicrafts are a particularly good thing to pick up at Chatuchak market and the intense competition means prices are kept to a minimum. If you are searching for genuine antiques you need a trained eye as the large majority of antiques on offer at this market are fake so exercise caution if it is the real deal you are looking for.
Due to the size of Chatuchak market it is segregated into areas depending on the types of goods sold. This does make life a little easier and maps detailing the various sections can be picked up before you enter.
The official opening hours for the market tend to be from 9.00am to 6.00pm on Saturday and Sunday, though many of the stalls actually open between 9.00am and 10.00am and close around sunset.
There are many more markets to discover besides Chatuchak. Khao San road is a tourist hotspot and the market here sells clothes, books, CDs and similar items.
In close proximity to Khao San Road is the large Banglamphu market which extends over Phra Sumen Road and Chakrapong Road. This market tends to be more popular with the locals so take a trip here if you fancy a more authentic shopping experience.
Pratunam market is open around the clock and is one of the best places in Bangkok to pick up cheap clothes, fabrics and textiles. A little off the beaten track you can find this market at the intersection of Ratchaprarop and Phetburi roads.
Further down Phetburi road is the Nai Loet (also called Nai Lert) market, which is a scaled down version of Chatuchak.
If you like to do your bargain hunting at night time then Patpong night market may be of interest. Very popular with tourists you will find standard market wares here though the prices are not as competitive as you may find elsewhere.
Night markets are preferred by many as the temperatures are slightly lower after the sun falls and this makes for a slightly more pleasant bargaining experience. Temperatures in Thailand are fairly high all year round though it is slightly cooler from November until mid-February so this is something to bear in mind when booking your flights to Bangkok.
Author:-ANDREW REGAN
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