Bangkok is a city of bargains, but even within Bangkok's offerings, Chatuchak Market offers remarkably cheap prices. It is also extremely large – a wholesale market with more than 15,000 stalls selling almost every type of goods imaginable. The number of visitors to the market - as well as the density - is extremely large and reaches 200 thousand people a day, much due to the fact that it is a market used mainly by locals.
Contrary to what the name suggests, the market is open every day of the week, although on Wednesdays and Thursdays it is open in a reduced format and therefore also less crowded. If you come less for shopping and more for impressions, these are the days for you.
Orientation in the market is not easy and it is highly recommended to take a map at one of the information stands at the entrance to the market. Despite this, there is logic in the way the market is divided. There are 27 areas and each one is built from a central street and several small alleys that branch off from it. Each area focuses on a particular commodity. In areas 5 and 6 you will find clothes and jewelry, while in areas 17 to 19 various food products await you.
Within this variety, there are of course food stalls. Several hundred of these are scattered throughout the market. Some will prepare traditional Thai dishes and other foods from different cuisines from around Asia, some will prepare smoothies or offer refreshing drinks, and there are also stalls that offer raw materials: spices, vegetables, fruits, poultry, fish and more or less exotic meats.
Bangkok is a city where heat and humidity are an integral part of its being and this is doubly true within the grounds of Chatuchak Market. The density and the large number of people mean that you will be very hot. In addition, due to its size, you can wander around it for long hours. Make sure to drink a lot, stock up on water and comfortable clothing.
What about bargaining? Although this is part of the shopping experience, don't forget that you are in one of the cheapest markets and that there is no reason to enter into tough price negotiations.
Because the market and the area surrounding it are extremely busy, the best way to get to Chatuchak Market is by using the BTS train. Take the Sukhumvit line and get off at Mu Chit station.
On Saturdays to Tuesdays the market opens at 9 am and remains open until 6 pm. On Wednesdays and Thursdays the place opens at 7 in the morning and operates until 6 in the evening. On Friday, the opening hours are different - from 6 in the evening until midnight.
