Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok

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Practically everyone who goes to bangkok will drop by at chatuchak. This is the place where you will be able to get things like clothes, shoes, bags, furnitures and souvenirs for low prices (Not without bargaining!). But, be warned! Chatuchak is the place you should avoid on a rainy day. I have the first hand experience of shopping at chatuchak on a rainy day. The flooded walk ways, overflowing drains, leaking roof and the roaches wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. Also remember to dress light on a sunny day as it gets pretty humid in the market.

My first trip to Chatuchak was 3 years ago and with my second trip there recently (Aug. 2007), I noticed one big important difference. While there's still a lot of merchandise around, most of them already have price tags which indicate that bargaining is not allowed on those items. I still tried to haggle but the vendors would not give in.

If this is the case then it makes the market far less attractive as a shopping destination. When you consider that some of the same items (esp. clothes) can be bought in other areas, like the Patpong night market, then why bother to go here or wait for the weekend just to buy?

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Yeah, I know its crowded and stuffy. But it's still my favourite market in Bangkok. I love it for its huge variety and low prices. I have been there 3 times, but I still couldnt cover the whole market!

Opening hours:
Sat and Sun (9am - 6pm)

Getting there:
1) MRT - Kamphaeng Phet Station (gets you right into Chatuchak)
2) BTS - Mo Chit Station (you have to walk past a park before getting there)
3) Bus - 3, 26, 27, 29, 34, 59, 77, 96, 112, 134, 136, 138, 145, 502, 503, 510, 512, 513

Tips:
1) Get there as early as possible
2) Grab a map from the TAT officers (dressed in green uniform) that goes around in an 'electric bike (or whatever you call it)'

Best day to shop is Saturday when you have a fresh supply of goods coming from anywhere in Thailand. Be prepared to "wrestle" your way with the throng of people and to haggle to the max! There are garments, bags and various knick-knacks to take home. Nifty finds are definitely worth the sweat and the tired feet. Refuel at the nearby food stalls where you can get a good bowl of noodles, tasty spring rolls and refreshing fruit juices.

This market is too big for anyone to handle during their visit. The size of the market can be overwhelming. This market functions only on weekends. We had one saturday during our stay here and we allocated that day for this market. We were 8 people in our group and so we took two taxis. We did not realize that the market was huge and had several gates on different roads. As a result two taxis went to two different gates and we spent the first two hours trying to connect with each other. Luckily I had a cell phone that helped us connect in two hours time. But for the cell phone we would not have connected.

We spent about 4 hours there and we would have only seen 5% of what the market had to offer. Very cheap place to buy stuff. You think of anything and I will bet that you can find it here. The challenge will be to find the store in the market. Also walking from one to the other could take a long time.

Right inside gate 2 there is a small place underneath a tree to grab a bite or a drink. Nice place - they even had choices for vegetarians. However you would have to put up with the smell that keeps coming from the drain below you.

We tried spring rolls, mango sticky rice and shakes.

What to buy: Anything...

What to pay: You can bargain. If they can afford to reduce they will. If they cannot they will say no - and you will know..

This market has everything, clothes, jewellery, handicrafts, fighting cocks, kitchen utensils (if you really need them!) It is huge and I have never seen anything like it. You really need to get here early to see it properly. Prices tend to be lot lower than Patpong market. Plenty to eat and drink as well. Mainly locals shop here, but a few westerners can be seen wandering around. You can easily get lost trying to get out of here. There are ATMs, so you won't run out of money.

What to buy: Anything

What to pay: Less than the more touristy markets. 100B for 3 T-shirts.

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- itz so huge that u can juz get lost here!
- lotsa cheap clothes and stuff to buy!
- come only during weekends day time!
- walk from mo chit bts station! follow the crowd! One way!

What to buy: - clothes! foods!

What to pay: - depends on hw big u r a spender! u can go there and buy nothing, spend nothing!

There isnt one shop I can recommend...go to as many as your little feet can take you to! In all of our travels thru, vietnam, thailand, cambodia, this place had the best prices! For clothes, and gifts to bring home...The best deals I found were on their backpacks...I got a HUGE one, okay maybe it was too huge, I ended up buying another one later...but besides that I got it for 1000 baht, it would of cost way over hundred anywhere else , like back home in the states! Be sure to bargain hard, you can usually get the price down to 1/3- or 1/2 of what they start with!

What to buy: Clothes, gifts, backpacks.

What to pay: Depends on the item...Bargain!!!

This weekend market only fully open at abt 9.30am-10am. U can take a meter taxi to there. This market selling alot of goods for Young-Old ppl. u can find alot of goods to buys. make sure u bring more $$. for those lady whose planning to buy clothes, make sure u r wearing sleaveless shirt coz there have no fitting for you to try. Even some of the store not allow u to try. For your tips when u seen a nice stuffs, try to negotiate with them and buy it. When u get out from the shop, U cant get back the same shop to buy. Because this place is big and u find that all the way is almost the same.

This is a popular place for locals and tourists so be prepared to fight your way through the human jam if you intend to go anytime after 11am. However, if you don't mind the squeeze, heat and the sweat, there are a lot of bargains to be found (you can still haggle a little if you're buying in bulk) for simple home furnishings, aroma candles, street fashion, shoes, handbags, decorative items, food, and many other items. Best time is to get there before 10am and get out before noon.