The five best offbeat markets in Bangkok
Bangkok has the legendary Chatuchak Weekend Market but there's more markets to explore that go from a chilled vibe to an all-party mode.
- September 2018
Besides the tourist behemoth that is Chatuchak Weekend Market, these offbeat markets will tempt you to overfill your suitcase (and tummy).
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1. Youthful Market with a Chilled Vibe
Talad Neon Night Market
Where: 1087 New Petchburi Rd.
The lights are shining bright at the latest night market on the Bangkok scene, the funky Talad Neon Night Market opens in new window. Forget overcrowding; this is one hip market to stroll through on a night out in the Pratunam district in downtown Bangkok. Boasting more than 900 stores, Talad has plenty of quirky fashion and kitschy trinkets. It’s also bursting with upmarket food trucks selling both traditional and creative cuisine – fried chicken burger topped with macaroni cheese, anyone? After giving your legs a workout, drop the bags and enjoy a live music performance at one of the many bars housed in shipping containers. Open Thursday to Sunday, 4pm to midnight.
2. Chinatown Wholesale
Sampeng Market
Where: Soi Wanit 1 (Sampeng Ln)
Throw away the map and let your nose and wallet guide your way around Bangkok’s Chinatown. This is undoubtedly one of the most culturally rewarding parts of the city with its authentic Thai and Chinese street eats, but when it comes to shopping, Sampeng Market opens in new window takes the crown. Running parallel to Yaowarat Road, Chinatown’s golden mile of action, Sampeng Market stretches along a narrow laneway and offers a wide variety of cheap jewellery, fashion accessories, Chinese goods and Indian silks at wholesale prices. It’s obviously the place for bargains – just ask the Bangkok shop vendors who also come here to stock up. The constant hustle and bustle between street-food carts, motorcycle deliveries and avid shoppers adds to the atmosphere.
3. Mix Shopping with All-night Partying
Khao San Road
Where: Along Khao San Rd.
The sun may have set, but Bangkok continues to sizzle with vendors selling tourist essentials (selfie sticks and bootleg brands) and hawker eats heating up Bangkok’s famed backpacker haunts of Khao San Road and Soi Rambuttri. No trip to this city is complete without exploring the Banglamphu neighbourhood, a rite of passage for budget-conscious travellers and partygoers alike. Its bars are pumping until the wee hours of the morning.
4. Bargain Hunters Rejoice
Pratunam Market
Where: Intersection of Ratchaprop and Petchburi roads to Ratchaprarop Soi 3, +66 81 402 0631
Need a new wardrobe? You’ve come to the right place at this multistorey, bargain-lovers’ paradise. In the shadow of Bangkok’s second-tallest skyscraper, Baiyoke Tower 2, Thailand’s biggest wholesale garment market is a place to happily get lost in a maze of clothing, shoe, fabric and accessories stories. Not just for the bulk buyers, it’s also popular with thrifty fashionistas looking to complete their look on a shoestring budget. Street-food vendors at the markets provide much-needed fuel for the day (or night, as it is open 24 hours) of shopping exploration.
5. Collector's Paradise
New Rod Fai Night Market
Where: Ratchadaphisek Rd. (Near Esplanade Shopping Mall), +66 81 713 5599
Taking its name from its former location in an abandoned railway station, the new Rod Fai Market opens in new window maintains the bizarre hipster characteristics of its predecessor at its new home in Ratchada, near the Thailand Cultural Center MRT station. Not only does it sell anything you can think of – homewares, furniture, fashion, toys – it is also retro heaven with an enormous collection of vintage memorabilia including classic cars and antiques. Be prepared to get snap-happy when faced with a sea of rainbow-coloured marquees, bars and restaurants. Open Thursday to Sunday from 5pm.