Before visiting Thailand, I (or actually my better half) was
forewarned about Bangkok being a shopper’s delight! Well….how misinformed I
was! The Jatujak (as pronounced in Thai) weekend market, transforms you into a shopaholic, eliciting the ‘shop-till-you-drop’ gene from your DNA, it manipulates you to showcase your bargaining skills…and leaves you desiring an extra pair of eyes that lend a 360 degree view of all its sounds, sights, smells and surroundings. This market was not just a shopper’s delight, it was the mother of all markets… It was the epitome of commerce, the ultimate personification of all things desirable, and the embodiment of the impulsive shopper in all of us!
A cornucopia of ‘you-name-it’ anything and everything under
the sun!
Having said that, I hope I have prepared you to expect arrays of stalls, narrow by-lanes filled with artifacts, infinite maze of sois, one could so easily get lost amidst. In the midst of this complicated labyrinth, you will find continuous stalls selling clothing, shoes, art work, flowers – both fresh and artificial, fishes for your aquarium, fishes for the frying pan, cafes, restaurants, paintings, fabric to decorate, food to eat, souvenirs, trinkets, toys, Buddhas, jewelry, books, fake designer wear, not-so-fake-looking designer wear, watches in all sizes, colors and content, more Buddhas …the list goes on and on…all for the fraction of the price you would pay back home.
Hansel and Gretel couldn't find their way out of here even
if they tried!!
How did we survive – you ask? We kinda stuck to the
perimeter…and never ventured too much into the interior…there is a whole
different world…that we didn’t even get to sniffing distance. Give yourselves
plenty of time to cover this expansive market (think largest flea market, then
multiply it times 100!!!)
Jatujak Market can be reached in a variety of ways, but
arriving by Skytrain is by far the most convenient (except when its time to
haul all those shopping baggies back, call for a taxi in those cases). Simply
get off at the Mo Chit station, a terminus on the Sukhumvit line, and follow
the crowd to the market. The Market is open every Saturday and Sunday from 9:00
AM to 6:00 PM.
With more than 15,000 stalls situated on 35 acres of land
and approximately 200,000 visitors a day, calling this market enormous is
probably an understatement; it also makes it one of the biggest, most crowded
outdoor markets in the world. So, if crowds, hot/humid weather, lots of walking
are not your thing, then this isn’t for YOU. However, if you do decide to
venture into this extraordinary market, dress appropriately (light clothing,
good walking shoes) and keep the liquid intake going. There are delectable eats
and refreshing drinks to be tried…the chilled lemon tea was excellent.
I guarantee you will not return from this place empty
handed(no guarantees on an empty wallet though!!).
Happy bargaining!!
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