Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok

[RhinoTusk]

This place has everything, more than 15,000 stalls divided into 30 sections.  Since 1942, Chatuchak Weekend Market sells many different kinds of goods, including plants, antiques, electronics, cosmetics, pets, ceramics, furniture, clothing, and books.  Pre-covid typically saw 200,000 visitors each weekend.  Plan to spend a half a day here, it's the worlds largest and most diverse market.

 

 

I usually arrive around 9 AM, not so much to beat the crowds as to beat the heat, which can be stifling.

 

 

You can wander hours in this maze of shops.  Fortunately, it's organized into categories and a free map is available at the entrance.  I took along my Nikon Zfc camera, just 15.7 ounces including battery, plus 4.8 ounces for the lens, which was easy to carry around all day.

 

 

 

This is my personal favorite

 

 

Sections 5 and 6 have used clothing

 

 

There's a new air conditioned mall next door that's a great retreat from the heat and a good place to stop for lunch.  It's amazing how much you feel energized spending an hour in air conditioned comfort, then prepared for a few more hours browsing in the market.

 

 

The food court in on the third floor. 

 

 

Here are some crispy noodles with chicken (60 baht) and a glass of Roselle juice (20 baht).  Roselle is a herbal drink found in many Thai restaurants, a better alternative to coke and pepsi which have no nutritional value.  Roselle juice tastes good too!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roselle_juice

 

 

There's also a flower garden on the third floor of the mall

 

 

Although it was distressing to observe some of the conditions the live animals were caged in, fortunately I didn't observe any pangolins or horseshoe bats.

 

 

Section 7 is for the arts

 

 

Around mid-afternoon the crowds pick up.  I spent 6 hours there and only bought a personalized camera strap, but it was a lot of fun.  According to my Google Fit app, I walked 16 km that day but awoke with a calf strain the next morning that's been nagging me since. You definitely need to drink lots of liquids.

 

[yorta2]

Thanks for the super, high quality shots. Other than the oppressive heat, I always enjoy a wander around in there. I generally get lost though. I know I have said this before (some years ago on this forum), but I have seen some animals there that I have never see before, or since, anywhere in the world, and I've see quite a few around other countries.

[TheFiend]

I've been dragged round there by the Mrs....amazing place...

[RhinoTusk]

16 hours ago, TheFiend said:

I've been dragged round there by the Mrs....amazing place...

So what did you buy?  I thought about an aquarium ?, plants and cacti ? ,  but decided I’ll get get some picture frames and decorate my walls with some prints of my photos from Koh Kood. ?️

Edited April 7, 2022 by RhinoTusk

[Regyai]

As sprawling markets go the one thing Chatuchak misses are the golf carts of Rong Kluea Market

There you can park the pick-up hire the cart and jockey back n forth to dump purchases 

Unless you're a lot younger and given to marathons thats a task at Chatuchak

[TheFiend]

9 hours ago, RhinoTusk said:

So what did you buy?  I thought about an aquarium ?, plants and cacti ? ,  but decided I’ll get get some picture frames and decorate my walls with some prints of my photos from Koh Kood. ?️

All I can remember buying is some polo shirts  and she bought some crap as gifts for her friends in the UK. Spent a few hours in there and only got round about half of the market.

[JONPAT]

If you are there near 8AM please observe the playing of the Thai Anthem.  Don't be an oblivious  dick.

[RhinoTusk]

2 hours ago, JONPAT said:

If you are there near 8AM please observe the playing of the Thai Anthem.  Don't be an oblivious  dick.

They open at 9 AM

[Chris100UK]

Does this place still sell illegal wildlife and pets crammed in tiny cages?

 

[awesum4]

I hate shopping, especially in crowded places.  I go to buy a specific item, know the shop that sells it and the price I'm willing to pay.

In, select, pay, and get the hell out of there.

The first couple of times Thai markets were fun and interesting.  Now I avoid them unless someone I'm with wants to go, or to buy food. I'd rather go for a walk on the beach or around the local area.

The bigger the market the worse it is. 

 

[JONPAT]

17 hours ago, RhinoTusk said:

They open at 9 AM

It happened to me. I must of been trespassing and didn't realize they weren't open. I'm gonna say it was in 2009 but could have been a couple years later. It is good to know it won't be happening to anyone else now days.

[yorta2]

4 hours ago, awesum4 said:

I hate shopping, especially in crowded places.  I go to buy a specific item, know the shop that sells it and the price I'm willing to pay.

In, select, pay, and get the hell out of there.

The first couple of times Thai markets were fun and interesting.  Now I avoid them unless someone I'm with wants to go, or to buy food. I'd rather go for a walk on the beach or around the local area.

The bigger the market the worse it is. 

 

Buggered if I know how you can just come into Chatachack markets, go directly to the shop you want, buy a particular item and then leave. It is bloody huge and takes me ages just to find a stall that I remember from my last visit. Or, I think it is the same stall....

[RhinoTusk]

15 hours ago, Chris100UK said:

Does this place still sell illegal wildlife and pets crammed in tiny cages?

 

Sadly yes.  This is Asia.

[RhinoTusk]

3 hours ago, JONPAT said:

It happened to me. I must of been trespassing and didn't realize they weren't open. I'm gonna say it was in 2009 but could have been a couple years later. It is good to know it won't be happening to anyone else now days.

I doubt most tourists know the anthem.

[awesum4]

12 hours ago, yorta2 said:

Buggered if I know how you can just come into Chatachack markets, go directly to the shop you want, buy a particular item and then leave. It is bloody huge and takes me ages just to find a stall that I remember from my last visit. Or, I think it is the same stall....

That's what I do here at home. I have no interest in going to Chatachuck or any large market anywhere in the world.

[sinbinjack]

I am in general a fan of markets ,at least before my walking difficulties, but the covered markets in Thailand (and Turkey) in summer are far too warm for my delicate constitution.

[RhinoTusk]

Besides the weekend market, there's a Friday night market at Chatuchak so you can beat the sweltering heat, gets started around 9 PM.  Only Sections 8 to 26 (clothing, accessories, and food) are open in the evening, no gardening, art, pets, or book zones.  I stopped by last night.

 

 

They had a bar with live music and I was able to get a few Jack Cokes with a few shots of Jägermeister.

 

[yorta2]

Thanks for that - I rarely go out to the market due to intense heat and, generally, I only want clothes/shoes. I will put that in my (weakening) memory bank.

[Jon77]

Nice pics