Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok

You can get almost everything here from bags, dvd, cloths, antique books and livestock.

Most market stalls open Friday nights (though some shopping is available during the day), and from 9 a.m. to sunset Saturdays and Sundays.

What to buy: You can find unusual art, cheap knock-off backpacks, fake Birkenstocks, and rice-paper lamps, and 1,000 other items.

What to pay: From US$1.00 and over

The largest market in Thailand- Chatuchak Weekend Market. Opens every Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 6pm some shops opened till 8pm. Market with 8672 vendor stalls selling stuffs from antiques, clothes, jewellery, opium pipes, crafts, exotic animals, shoes, flowers, foods and alomost everything. Try out your BARGAIN skills!!

What to buy: Special items such as exotic animals but it illegal to bring back home. Shop for everything that can never be found back home...

What to pay: EVERY LAST penny u have. things on the market not that expensive and if u have a good bargain skills, you could just pay for the item with ur own price!

Lots of stores in Chatuchak sell wood carvings. I wanted 6 of these panels to take home with me to make a low divider but because I didn't know how to haggle and I thought I could get a better price elsewhere, I ended up not getting any. This was one situation where Chatuchak would be cheaper if you've got good bargaining abilities.

If you have gone beserk buying more stuff than you can carry home on the plane, particularly at Chatuchak Market, you can easily find reliable packing and shipping companies to send your stuff home by surface or air.

There are more than a few shipping agents in Section Seven of Chatuchak Market who are more than trustworthy. I've used this lot here on more than one occasion, no losses, reasonable rates... and they give you a glass of OJ while they box it all up out the back.

Civilised here isn't it?

The market's hours are 9 am to 4 pm or sunset. The market operates saturday and sunday. For more info, go to my main Chatuchak tip on things to do.

Also, you can buy Nancy Chandler;s maps-she lists main shopping areas. Also gives map for Chatuchak. I was just at the market in early April. I saw some people handing free maps out to the crowds. If you are going with a few friends-you may want to set up a place just in case you get lost. This happens a lot . You can use the clocktower-which is in the middle of the market. Presently, it's under tarp and being renovated.

Anything and everything is for sale at the Chatachuck weekend market. You can buy animals, art, antiques, food, games, toys, clothes. The place is vast and more than a little overwhelming.

What to buy: I actually didn't end up buying much - but check out the video of the tea guy. He was a trip!

What to pay: As much or little as you like. Some of the art negotiation 'asking' price start out at about 4 times what they'll actually take at the end.

Jatu Jak Market (JJM) or also known as the Weekend Market is spelled in many ways....i don't know the true spelling anyway.

JJM is possible the biggest shopping spree market in thailand and boasts to sell almost everything under the sun...prices are beyond reasonable and sometimes dirt cheap, bargains are always welcome, but never over do it....

JJM is open only on the weekends from the crack of dawn to dusk (usually around 7.30pm)....

What to buy: Firstly, expect heat...no aircons under this roof!

You will be able to find almost anything from antiques to posionous black widow spiders, tattoo parlors to restaurants (some excellent thai eateries), tools to designer lamps and furnitures, sun dried octopus to indian and tibetan costumes and accessories, handblown glasswares to lingeries.

sorry, no major designer labels though similar items can be found....

What to pay: Definitely expect to pay less than the prices in the malls!

Bargains are always welcome.

For example, one can pick up a serious back pack (talking about months or travelling) for about US$50...and the quality is not less than what you may expect to pay US$400+ for a North Face pack in SFO.

Or 99% silver jewelries for US$7!

There is almost anything for sale here! This market is huge, and there is always a part you will enjoy and find something that you'd like. This market contains more than 15 000 shops and stalls, has over 200 000 visitors each day.

Bargaining is expected at Chatuchak and the prices are generally quite a bit 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 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.

What to buy: Jewelery, local crafts, T-shirts, oh, and so much more...

What to pay: The bargained down price.