Though
there are many markets throughout Bangkok, Chatuchak
Weekend Market is still pretty much the undisputed king of them all. The
scale of it is pretty unbelievable - it covers an area of 70 rai (35
acres), contains more than 15 000 shops and stalls, has over 200 000 visitors
each day, and they spend an estimated total of 30 million baht (approx US$750
000). The range of products on sale is extensive, and includes household accessories,
handicrafts, religious artifacts, art, antiques, live animals (which unfortunately
are frequently caged in cruel conditions), books, music, clothes, food, plants
and flowers etc...
Chatuchak is a particularly good place to buy all sorts of Thai handicrafts,
as there's a huge range, the quality is high and the intense competition keeps
the prices low. Be careful when buying antiques, the large majority on offer
are fake and telling the difference between the genuine and the copies can
be extremely difficult. Genuine antiques require a permit to be taken out
of the country, but you will also need a permit if a fake is good enough to
fool the inspecting customs officer.
Bargaining is expected, if not mandatory,
at Chatuchak and the prices are generally substantially cheaper than the shopping
centers and street stalls on Silom and Sukhumvit. Many shops in the more centrals
areas of the city also have a branch here, selling the same goods for much
lower prices.
The published opening hours for the market are from 9.00am to 6.00pm on Saturday
and Sunday, though many of the stalls actually open sometime between 9.00am
and 10.00am and close around sunset. Chatchak is also open on Friday as a
market for wholesalers, but there is no problem doing normal shopping on this
day either (same opening times). The Garden Plants section is also open on
Wednesdays and Thursday from 7.00am to 6.00pm. Watch out for pickpockets,
as even though they're not a particularly big problem the crowded conditions
make it easy for them to operate successfully.
Chatuchak has in theory been segregated into areas depending on the types
of goods sold, and there are maps available for the market which detail the
various sections. You're as well to just forget them and just wander wherever
takes your fancy, as it is an extremely disorientating place of many narrow
alleys and trying to follow a map around can prove very frustrating.
Chatuchak always gets very hot and humid during the day, and it's far from
the most comfortable shopping experience but for most people the benefits
outweigh the disadvantages. Going early in the day when it is a bit cooler
is recommended.
The
best way to get here is on the Skytrain, Mo
Chit station is only about five minutes walk away from the market. Finding
your way from the station is easy - just follow the large crowd of people
that will also be heading to/from there (right). Alternatively, many buses
go past here: Ordinary buses 3, 8, 26, 27, 28, 34, 38, 39, 44, 52, 59, 74,
77, 96, 97, 104, 108, 112, 134, 136, 138, 145 and air-con buses 2, 3, 9, 10,
12, 13, 29, 38, 39, 44, 136 and 138. To get a taxi ask for suan jatujak
(Chatuchak park, where the market is held), or print out the instructions
below and give them to the driver.
Though
there are many 
The
best way to get here is on the Skytrain, 
