CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET

chatuchak market

CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET

SHOPPING AT THE BEHEMOTH OF ASIAN-STYLE MARKETS

A rambling flea market of bargains,Chatuchak Weekend Market is Bangkok's biggest and most intense market. Imagine supersizing the average Thai market with its narrow passageways lined with merchandise,and you've got a close approximation of Chatuchak.Silks.

chatuchak market

extra-small fashions,fighting cocks and fighting fish,fluffy puppies ,and souvenirs for the insatiable farang-if it can be sold in Thailand,you'll find it here.From everyday to clubby,clothes dominate most of the market,where young desingners unveil their wares. Look out for secondhand clothes that have obviously emigrated from Western closets.

chatuchak market

Your wallet may already be champing at the bit,but go prepared and go early as there are hundreds of thousands of visitors per day,crowding and sweating in the precious open spaces. In theory,Chatuchak is organised into logical,numbered sections but good luck trying to decipher this while pointy elbows nudge you along.

chatuchak market

Do some reconnaissance work with Nancy Chandler's Map of Bangkok,available at English-language book shops such as Asia Books

chatuchak market

Be warned that there's no air-conditioning and you'll likely suffer extreme claustrophobia. If dehydration sets in,head towards the clock tower where there is a concentration of cafes or duck outside for a refreshing bowl of khanom jiin(rice noodles with curry sauce).In the evenings,local musicians serenade the crowds who are capping off their shopping spree with happy hour.

chatuchak market