Chatuchak Weekend Market ตลาดนัดสวนจตุจักร , Bangkok

Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (30 December, 2002)


Chatuchak Weekend Market (GPS: 13.79924, 100.54846; Thai: ตลาดนัดสวนจตุจักร ) in the largest market in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as in the whole world. It covers an area of 70 rai (35 acres), bordered by Phahonyothin Road in the east, Kamphaeng Phet Road in the south and Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road in the west. The market has at least 15,000 stalls. Over 200,000 people visit it every weekend, to shop or simply to gawk at the endless variety of goods up for sale there.

Chatuchak was created when Field Marshal Plaek Phibulsongkam, the late prime minister of Thailand, wanted to have a flea market in every town in Thailand. The first flea market in Bangkok was at Sanam Luang, and was called Sanam Luang Flea Market. However, as Sanam Luang often had to be used for official and special functions, the flea market was transferred to Saranrom Palace. It stayed there for 8 years, before being shifted to Sanam Chai. Due to lack of space, it moved back to Sanam Luang. When the government of Bangkok decided to turn Sanam Luang into a public park, the market was moved to the Phahonyothin area, and took the name Chatuchak, after a field nearby.

My visit to the Chatuchak Weekend Market

My friends and I visited Chatuchak when we were passing through Bangkok. There was so much to see, the many little things that you would never expect to find anywhere else. There is a plethora of knick-knacks which at first sight, you might want to buy, but later on have no good use for them. Let me show you what we saw.


Colored blubs, Chatuchak Weekend Market (24 December, 2005)


Colourful decorative butterflies at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Hawker selling sorbet at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Dyed flowers. At first sight, I thought these were dyed enoki mushroom, but on closer look, I saw that they were flowers. (24 December, 2005)


Dendrobiums and other hanging orchids on sale at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Wicker sieves that kinda remind me of lacrosse sticks, at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Stall selling drinks and snacks at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Wooden flower ornamentation, at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Beggar lady selling tissue paper at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Poinsettias on sale at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)
Plantlets on sale - ah, now I see what the wicker sieves I saw earlier can be used for, at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Denim bags aplenty at Chatuchak Weekend Market - some look quite "used", don't you think? (24 December, 2005)


Tiny purses in a riot of colours, at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Gourds and basketware at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)


Plastic cups in a variety of colours at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok (24 December, 2005)

Operating hours of Chatuchak Weekend Market

The official opening hours of the market is 9:00am and closing time is 6:00pm, on Saturday and Sunday. That is why it is called a weekend market. However, some shops are also open on Friday, although technically Friday is for wholesalers only. The Garden stalls are also open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:00am to 6:00pm.

How to reach Chatuchak Weekend Market by public transport

Nowadays, the nearest MRT stations is the Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station (BL12, กำแพงเพชร) and the Chatuchak Park MRT Station (BL13, สวนจตุจักร) on the MRT Blue Line, and Mo Chit Station (N8, หมอชิต) on the BTS Skytrain Sukhumvit Line.

Chatuchak Weekend Market on Google Street View

Main Entrance to Chatuchak Weekend Market, from Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road (Nov 2017)

Chatuchak Weekend Market is on the Map of Bangkok

List of Markets in Bangkok; list of Districts of Bangkok

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