Chatuchak Weekend Market - Bangkok Shopping

Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok is the largest market in Thailand, and possibly the largest in the world. It is frequently called J.J. Chatuchak covers over 35 acres (1.13 km²) or about 11 hectares and contains upwards of 15,000 stalls. About 200,000 to 300,000 visit and shop there each day. Most stalls only open on Saturdays and Sundays.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 that you have to buy bottled water every 30 minutes or so! 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 first flea market in Bangkok was held at Sanam Luang and was called Sanam Luang flea Market. However, there was time when the place was needed for other special functions and the flea market was then relocated to Saranrom Palace and settled there for 8 years. After that, it was moved again to Sanam Chai. But because of the limited space, it had to be moved back to Sanam Luang. In the same year, the government issued a policy to turn Sanam Luang into a public park for citizens of Bangkok and to be the venue to celebrate 200-year-anniversary of Bangkok, which would be held in 1982. Thus, it was decided that the flea market would be held at the Phahonyothin area from then on and it is later called Chatuchak Market after the nearby park under the same name.

Chatuchak is open from 08:00am - 18:00pm on weekends and Fridays (wholesale day).
Plant shops are open Wednesdays and Thursdays too from 07:00am- 18:00pm.

The market offers a wide variety of products including household items, clothing, Thai handicrafts, religious artifacts, collectibles, foods, and live animals. It is offers the lowest price of goods if you know what how to haggle.

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 prices are amazing. A recent small craze went around the tourists visiting Bangkok who found wooden frogs that you could rub with a small stick and the frog would sound like its real life copy. These frogs in Bangkok centre were for sale at 150 Baht in Chatuchak they could be had for around 80 Baht ! Deals such as this are common place in Chatuchak and while many of the stalls expect you to bargain (and you should always try) some stalls will not as they use a fixed price system. The majority though are on a negotiate basis and you should normally aim at around 50% of the first price offered.

If you are with a Thai or speak a reasonable amount of Thai then you may go straight to the better prices from the start so get practicing !

The real charm of the Chatuchak Weekend Market lies in the fact that you can-and should-bargain with each stall you are interested in. Whether you will snare a bargain or not is a test of your own negotiating skills. So, don' t be surprised if the same goods bought by you and your friends from the same shop carry different prices.

Now, are you ready to begin your quest to find what you have been searching high and low for ? Well then, mingle with the crowds, sweat it out and have fun in The World's Biggest Weekend Market.

Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok

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Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok

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