The desperation of Chatuchak weekend market
JJ, Jatujak, the Weekend Market, Chatuchak – whatever you want to call it, the place never changes. Chatuchak is quite possibly the most depressing, soul-draining place on earth. Many people love it, but I have never had an enjoyable time there.
Chatuchak positively hums of desperation. There are shoppers, desperate to get their mitts on discount T-shirts, shoes and puppies. As if the heaving mass of people isn’t enough, there is the other side of Chatuchak market – that of the beggars, the children, the sick, the blind, the deformed.
There are people whose faces are barely recognizable as faces and there are those people who drag themselves across the ground on their bellies because they have no legs.
This is supposed to be Bangkok’s premier tourist attraction. I was at Chatuchak over the weekend and as we sat eating at a restaurant, a small child approached and asked for money. We offered him some food and his wide eyes said “Yes” while his body language became edgy. He looked around for a moment and then decided against taking the food.
And on he went, until the next child came and turned down our food. And the next. And repeat the cycle with the same children.
It’s really nothing out of the ordinary for Bangkok, but in the sweltering hear, surrounded by thousands of people shuffling their way from stall to stall, it defeats me how the whole experience could ever be viewed as fun.
When people visit Bangkok, they usually make at least one visit to Chatuchak market. In all honesty, I would not recommend Chatuchak to anybody. You can find the same stuff at Siam Square or Suan Lum.
If you have a burning desire to visit Chatuchak market, then the best time is late morning, when the stalls are open and the throngs have yet to arrive.
Am I alone in my disappreciation of Chatuchak market?
For anyone reading this who may be new to Bangkok, Chatuchak market is reached via BTS station Moh Chit or MRT station Chatuchak Park. Being a weekend market, most of the stalls are only open Saturday and Sunday. At Chatuchak you will find clothes, shoes, pets, ornaments, furniture and more or less every conceivable consumer product, not including electronics.
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:44 pm
You are not the only one. The only joy I find at the hellhole is one jazzy place serving ice coffee near the food stalls, and some good paintings in the artist’s corner.
It’s not a place to enjoy.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:13 am
honey, Same stuff at Sanam Luang…… Nahh, I thought you means Suan Lum Night Bazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzaaarrrr :P
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:06 am
Hahaha. Yes, Suan Lum. That’s the one.
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Is the night bazaar still open? Heard it should have been closed down some months ago.
Anyway I do occasionally enjoy the weekend market but I drive there and pretty much get in and out within one or two hours. That’s enough and I second that the late morning is the best time to go. Around 2 or 3 o clock is terrible. Super hot and crowds of people.
June 4th, 2008 at 3:41 am
I really enjoyed my trip to Chatuchak weekend market, but I can understand your feelings toward it. I didn’t see nearly as much of the begging the day we were there, and, as a first timer, I was fascinated by the variety - not just of the goods, but the way some of the vendors made actual little stores out of their stalls, complete with music, lighting, and in some cases furniture for the shoppers. The original fashion designs were very cool and interesting to see.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:57 am
Couldn’t agree more. Perhaps my first impression was soiled by my need to take a dump in what passed as the public toilet. Firstly, I embarrassed myself in front of my Thai friends by having to buy a roll of toilet paper prior to entry. They actually tried to haggle! I won’t go into the sordid details of my experiences once inside the bowels, but the look on my face when I came out served only to embarrass my friends more.
All I remember of the rest of the morning was the heat….under the thousands of closely closeted stalls with their thick tarpaulins, teeming with heaving sweaty bodies. I’m more than used to searing humidity (I quite like it), but this was something else! 10 Minutes of that and I was wishing for the sanctity of the public toilet.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:13 am
I cannot imagine what you went through, but I hope to goodness I never go through the same.
June 13th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
tacky tenth rate dump for leftover clothing and other assorted tat.usually very hot too .not worth the effort to get there.
a western charity shop has a better stock