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Open every Saturday and Sunday, Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is one of the biggest and most famous markets in the world. If bargain-hunting gives you an adrenalin rush, get ready for a head-spinning, earth-moving experience. Conquering this massive market is no easy feat though. The reward for taking a lot of patience along - together with a bottle of water - is that you can find pretty much anything here.
Firstly, to get a free map from one of the information kiosks and (try to) plan your adventure through the never-ending maze of crowded, narrow alleys that are, surprisingly, numbered. But, it's so big that even with a map you might find yourself going around in circles. Areas are also demarcated in colour zones with clothing and fashion items grouped together, a section for household goods, crafts, pets, art and collectables, plants, wholesale items, food, and everything in between. OR just follow your instincts and leave it all up to karma. Either way, it's virtually impossible to see it all in one day - and even more unlikely that you won't find something to get excited about.
If you are able to keep track of where you're going and can cover a big part of the market, you'll be amazed with the sheer variety of merchandise. From roosters and chopsticks to vinyl records and a pair of Levi hipsters that you haven't seen in shops for years. You can buy a python, beautiful orchids, garden furniture, and puppy. Or beads, fake antiques, the latest of Buddha Bar CD... The earlier you get there, the better too.
Open: 08:00 - 18:00 on weekends and Fridays (wholesale day). Plant shops are open Wednesdays and Thursdays too from 07:00 - 18:00. Theme: OtherDirections: Take BTS to Mo Chit st and exit down the right-hand stairs, follow the crowd for a 5minute walk, and you're there. OR take MRT to Chatuchak Park st, and follow the signage directives. For the plant and flower section, get off at Kampheng Phet st (exit 3).Website: http://www.jatujakguide.com
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 I dont know, they all look the
same to me by thedouglas
do you think we should buy one for mum's bag????? Theme: OtherDirections: Mo Chit Skytrain station
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I spent more than half a day with my family shopping at the weekend market in Bangkok and the world's largest so far. We bought a lot of clothing, souvenir items, and some local handicraft. Remember to bargain on anything you want to buy including the ones I mentioned earlier.
This market is open on Saturdays and Sundays. The nearby attractions include JJ Mall, Chatuchak Park, Children's Museum, Train Museum, Chatuchak Plaza, & Jatujak Day & Night.
I would recommend buying clothing, Thai handicrafts, and collectibles Theme: Local CraftDirections: Five-minute walk from Mo Chit Skytrain Station and Suan Chatuchak (ChatuchakPark) Station (MRT)
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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. Theme: Women's ClothesDirections: Mo Chit Skytrain station, follow the crowd.
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 It's hot here--wear light
clothes! by stamporama
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? Leave a Comment Theme: Local CraftDirections: Mo Chit Skytrain station
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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)' Theme: Local Craft
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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 kmē) 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. Theme: Local CraftDirections: Chatuchak is adjacent to Kamphaengphet station (MRT) of the Bangkok Metro, or about a 5-minute walk from the Mo Chit Skytrain (BTS) station and Suan Chatuchak(Chatuchak Park) station(MRT).
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 by AgnesBLeave a Comment Theme: OtherDirections: Mo Chit Skytrain station
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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.
Anything...
You can bargain. If they can afford to reduce they will. If they cannot they will say no - and you will know.. Theme: OtherDirections: Mo Chit Skytrain station
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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.
Anything
Less than the more touristy markets. 100B for 3 T-shirts. Theme: JewelryDirections: Mo Chit Skytrain station-Follow the crowd
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