Places To Visit In Bangkok: Chatuchak Market
About Chatuchak Market
Chatuchak Market is the absolute largest market in Thailand and is an absolute must for anyone who likes the thrill of haggling or just enjoys finding a good bargain. Everything imaginable is for sale at this sprawling bazaar, and anyone who likes shopping could fill an exciting day browsing the 15,000 stalls that appear here every weekend.
This market offers anything you could possibly want to purchase from the latest fashions and traditional Thai foods to basic hardware appliances and strange foreign masks and religious artifacts. The atmosphere on a Saturday at Chatuchak is vibrant and bustling and the sights, sounds and smells of the market are sure to enthrall even the thriftiest tourist.
Many stalls sell exotic animals such as singing birds, adorable puppies and tropical fish of every colour. An antiques aficionado who can tell the difference between genuine bargains and opportunist forgeries may be surprised at how many genuine artifacts are available from Thailand’s stall keepers.
This market is a definite must see. Even if you don’t typically enjoy wandering around American department stores or European supermarkets, the sheer variety of this area is sure to provide you with an entirely new shopping experience.
Brief History Of Chatuchak Market
A famous Thai Prime Minister decided that it would be a boon to the nation’s economy to establish a flea market in every town. This would allow products to be exchanged more easily and wealth to change hands more quickly in Thailand. Therefore, the first of these large markets was started in Bangkok. Having outgrown its original home in Sanam Luang, the market has moved twice. Eventually it has come to rest in a vast empty area near Chatuchak Park from which it derives its name.
Tips for visitors to Chatuchak Market
This market is approximately a five-minute walk from the Sky Train station Mo Chit. If you have not yet seen Bangkok’s Sky Train system, you are in for a real treat. This train line is suspended on overhead tracks above Bangkok. This method of transportation is one of the quicker and easier ways to beat the Bangkok traffic.
The shops are open on weekends from 8:00 am to 6 pm. The market is also open on Fridays when you will experience a quieter atmosphere and can often find cheaper wholesale prices. The plant market is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays which is sure to delight any horticulture hobbyists.
can anyone tell me how far away this Chatuchak market is from Princess cruise ship dock? Will we have enough time to make the trip worth while. Thank You….Gordon