chatuchak weekend market
Chatuchak weekend market is a heaven for shoppers, especially if they are ready to bargain! The plant market is held every Wednesday and Thursday, while on the weekend, Chatuchak becomes the biggest market in Thailand when over 8,000 vendors from all over the country converging in a single area. The market is divided into 26 sections including antiques, books and magazines, fashion, food, furniture, handicrafts, jewelry, paintings, pets, plants and miscellaneous items.
Forget designer malls, Chatuchak Weekend Market or JJ Weekend Market is Bangkok’s true paragon of the retail experience. This is shopping as survival of the fittest: only those with finely tuned consumer instincts will persevere - the rest can get lost - literally. Taking the long turn’s almost a given in this sprawling, city-sized marketplace, upon which thousands descend every weekend, to trade everything from Burmese antiques to pedigree livestock. Originally a flea market, Chatuchak quickly outgrew the confines of the insect world to become much more than the sum of its disparate parts. These days, young Thai designers take advantage of the low onsite rent to punt their creative wares; if you so desire, you can peruse piles of customized Zippos that once belonged to American Gls’ during the Vietnam War and tasty pickings conveniently punctuate in many directions. Additionally, the exotic pet section supports the theory that JJ has somehow evolved its own diverse eco-system (albeit one that periodically is raided for peddling endangered species).
How to Get to Chatuchak
Hop on the skytrain (BTS) to Mo Chit station, take exit no. 1 and follow the crowd until you see rows of canvas stalls selling clothes. Turn right while continuing to follow the crowd and you will see a small entrance that leads into the market (clothing section).
Another option is to take the subway (MRT) to Chatuchak Park station (exit no.1), then follow the crowd until you arrive at the small entrance that leads into the market (clothing section). For the plant and flower section, get off at Kampheng Phet MRT station (exit no. 1).
The weekend market is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 09:00 - 18:00, and Fridays 18:00 - 24:00. Plant sections are also open on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 07:00 - 18:00.
