Chatuchak
Bangkok's weekend market is a mecca for shoppers the world over and unlike other markets you'll find elsewhere, this is one where both locals and tourists alike go to. Whilst you can easily find knock offs of branded goods, you will also be able to find loads of local handicrafts as well as clothing, furniture and home products amongst pets and plants. Right alongside your Red Bull , Diesel UV and Singha/Chang Beer tees, you'll also find copies/alterations of Threadless and even Oddica tees. Just so you know, your average Thai tee shirt pirate surfs the hot shit too. Chatuchak is a microcosm of Thai life and a place worth visiting even if you're not gonna buy anything.
Even when it comes to denim, there are a ton of Diesel's, Big E's, LVCs, Denimes, Evisus, Lees, Wranglers and even Seven and True Religion. The authenticity of some of the products may be debated but there's little denying that some of the "washes" you see are so kick ass, they trump the store bought distressed jeans by a long shot. (Apparently, the word is the washes are the result of getting local labourers to wear the jeans in for you so you don't have to.) Sometimes you wonder why Levi's even bothers to come out with the crap they do nowadays. They should just keep releasing the old stuff. The material at Chatuchak is actually quite good as well. Whilst you can still find the really crappy fakes, you're far more likely to stumble into a pile of raw selvedge instead.
Still, if you think Chatuchak is only about high quality piracy, then you're wrong. It's a tough ask, but if you actually put in the sweat and effort, you're very likely to find an absolute gem in there whether you're hunting for real vintage denim, original designs of clothing and jewelry or silk and silver. I'd recommend 2 weekends if you want to be thorough. Its that big.
I went expecting a crowd but met a swarm. Every alley was choked with people, buying or selling, eating and talking. Its so messy and noisy, it can bowl you over the first time you pass through just one section. Whilst the layout is roughly seperated into various types of goods, you're more likely to simply get dazed on your first pass and waltz into the pet zone, which can be a rather boggling experience. Imagine a sweltering heat due to the weather and poor ventilation combined with the smells of pet poo, incense and street food, dogs barking, your girlfriend cooing over the puppies, some announcement looking for a pair of Hong Kong tourists and the intense colors of almost every conceivable merchandise.
It's probably a good idea to time yourself and take breaks whenever you traipse into some rest area or mini cafe/hawker. The layout tends to be relatively accurate and these girls give out free maps of the market you can use. The tendency is still for people to wander around the maze and ultimately end up in the pet zone, hence every review of Chatuchak having a picture of some pets.
If you prefer something less hectic and more touristy, try Suan Lom. You can still find some really interesting stuff there, but there's also a lot more touristy things as well. Still, the smaller size means you can do it all in a night or two.
This is the less crowded bit of Chatuchak. My girlfriend summoned up the willpower to her arms above the throng to shoot this.
Some lady making fried quails eggs among other bits of street food.
More fried stuff.
Ice popsicle vendor cart. Loads of these all over the place.
That's what a street looks like inside one of the sections.
These aren't real cakes they're candles! I also have no idea why a drawing of a nude woman is in the background.
These vicious objects sit quietly on a table at a noodle stall.
Fishball Kuay Teow/Noodles.
