Chatuchak Weekend Market

The Chatuchak Weekend Market (JJ Market) is the largest open-air market in the world — and that's no exaggeration. Over 15,000 stalls on 14 hectares, divided into 27 sections, visited by 200,000 to 300,000 people per weekend. Anyone who thinks they can "just walk through" in an hour will hopelessly get lost and spend the rest of the day in Bangkok's most beautiful labyrinth.

The variety is dizzying: Section 2-4 (vintage clothing and secondhand), Section 7-8 (antiques, Thai art, Buddha figures), Section 17-19 (ceramics, handicrafts, hand-painted silk scarves), Section 22-26 (plants — a jungle of tropical orchids, succulents, and bonsais), Section 5-6 (furniture and home decor in Thai style). In between, hundreds of food stalls with the best street food in Bangkok: coconut-creamy mango sticky rice, freshly pressed coconut ice cream, crispy Pad Thai wraps, and ice-cold Thai milk tea.

The prices are significantly cheaper than in the shopping malls: handmade silk scarves from 200 THB (5€), vintage Levi's from 300 THB (8€), hand-painted ceramics from 100 THB (2.60€), custom-made leather bags from 800 THB (21€). Bargaining is allowed and expected — 20-30% discount is realistic, especially around noon when the heat makes the sellers weary.

The market has changed in recent years: In addition to the traditional stalls, there are more and more young Thai designers selling their first collections here — fashion, jewelry, ceramics, illustration. The area around Section 2-3 has become the unofficial Thai design district. The culinary offerings have also become more professional: small restaurants and cafés with air conditioning offer a welcome escape from the heat.