Bangkok - Chatuchak Market

Day 4 AM

A flea market with more than 10,000 stalls on a 35-acres land ... that's Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, the world's biggest weekend market. Once inside the market, you would be caught up in a world of bursting crowds and stalls stretching as far as the eye can see.

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Let's head to Chatuchak Market :p

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The "published" opening hours for the market are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Having said that, we still see some stalls setting up and arranging their goods by the time we reached there at around 9:30 am. Apparently, it's also open on Friday, however as a market for wholesalers.

Chatuchak Market usually gets very warm and hot by noon, so it is recommended to go early when it is a bit cooler. Was pretty lucky on the day we visited Chatuchak Market ... it wasn't a sunny day, yet it didn't rain, the weather (and thus temperature) is just perfect for one to spend a day there :)

The market offers an endless selection of antiques, intricate wood carvings and handicrafts, decorative ornaments, soft fluffy toys, bags, household wares, clothes and accessories ... just to name a few. You would definitely be spoilt with such various choices :p

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Hats ~ Varieties of them

Colourful (and cute) towels for one to choose from

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Intricate wood carvings and handicrafts

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You can get such handicrafts at reasonably good price ~ remember to bargain :p

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Souvenirs :)

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Fashionable accessories

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Another real fun part when you shop in Chatuchak Market, besides the various choices available, is the fact that you can bargain with each stall you are interested in. Although the prices here are generally lower than the street stalls and night market, you can still bargain here. I did some bargaining and managed to get those stuffs which I want at a reasonably low price :)

Don't worry, the quality is still up to expected standard, despite the low prices :)

If you need to fill up your stomach or to quench your thirst, Chatuchak Market has an endless selection of food and drinks ~ rice, noodles, Thai-style fast food, iced refreshments ...

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Thirst quencher :p
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The choir food stall ~ staffs singing while cooking and serving your food ... interesting !!!

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Was told that if you have set an eye on something which you like and managed to bargain at a good price, don't think twice but to get it. With so many stalls around, it would be quite difficult for you to return to the same shop to get what you want. Having said that, I actually managed to track and return to a stall to get something which I did not get earlier :p

If you are lost, not to worry, as maps of the market are available. A helpful and informative personnel (I suppose it's one, as I only saw one) is there to help out :)

To sum it up ... it's a shopper paradise not to be missed when you are in Bangkok.

Getting there :

Easiest is to take BTS or MRT.
If you take the BTS, alight at Mo Chit Station and follow the signboard to Chatuchak Market. The walk to the market takes about 5 minutes.

If you take the MRT, alight at Kampheng Phet Station, which is directly in front of Chatuchak Market.

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Next ~ Shopping in Bangkok :p

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