There's nothing like it in the world. The Chatuchak Weekend market, we mean.
This market, located opposite Morchit Northern Bus Terminal, is the largest and most exotic of its kind in the city; with hundreds of stalls crammed all over the market peddling almost anything - from clothes, watches, cassettes, curios, shoes, women accessories, house decorations, stamps, antiques, hilltribe products, second-hand books and magazines, dogs, fish, birds, potted plants, to imported posters and Buddhist amulets, fresh food and many more (more than you fancy).
The size of the labyrinthine market is so immense that many first-time visitors often find - after browsing for several hours - that they cannot find a way out..
Items for sale - and those who sell them - are an interesting hodge podge. On a typical
day, for example, you may come
across an old lady from Uthai Thani province who sells old family albums containing black
and white photos taken alomost 50 years ago.You may find yourself striking a bargain for attractive handmade cloth with some genuine hilltribe dealers. Or, you may fancy the Siamese fighting fish stalls and learn how to play with these "boxers" on the water.
For those interested in ceramics, there is a section of the market where you can find some outstanding benjarongs, blue and white porcelains, lacquerware, celadons, etc. On another section are curious and antiques, that you probably cannot find elsewhere.
C
lothes come in a great variety
style and quality in Chatuchak. You can get combat shirts, pants and boots for your jungle
treks; crazy T-shirts and beachwear; high fasion or even punk clothing.If you are hungry, dozens of foodstalls in the market offer a wide choice of Thai food.
Indeed, whatever your interest is, you will probably find something for your taste at Chatuchak. And, even if you just go there for observation, there's a lot of interesting things to discover in the market, giving you the ultimate shopping adventure in Bangkok.
The Chatuchak Park is also just a stone throw away from the market. You can wake up early and jog at this beautiful park with shady trees and manmade pond, then to the market for breakfast before doing all that shopping.
