BKK Weekend market Question
 

What is the best subway stop - and exit number- that will put me right in the Weekend Market? I'm told its the subway and not the Skytrian that has the closest stop.

Also there is a large fruit/vegtables/ type market next to the weekend market- does anyone know the name of this market?

The subway is definately the closest. However the sky train is a quicker route from central BKK. (although of course it depends which bit of the market you go to). We like sections 2, 25 and 26 so the stop before Mo Chit is good for us.

I have 2 things I want to cover in the market- 1) the fruit market that is across from the weekend market and general souviners including baby clothes at the weekend market.

I'd stick to the sky train, we caught the subway back (cause we were hot and tired and couldn't be bothered to walk to the station) and its a REALLY long way round...nice and cool though

Bill

The subway stop after the one named Chatuchak Park (I am thinking it's something like Kamphang Phet) stops right IN the market. I have taken the subway rather than the skytrain to MoChit for about a year now, maybe more. I guess I don't think about it as being the long way to get there... Maeng and I taxi back into BKK, as we usually have many bags to carry.

It isn't a long walk to the O-TOP fruit/produce market (which is really a great market, by the way), so it is a do-able walk. It shouldn't be too terribly hot when you are there in January (right?). I can't think about directions around the market, and I don't have my Nancy Chandler map handy to see which direction it is from Chatuchak to get to the O-TOP, not that I could tell from the NC map anyway.

The Happy Pig noodle stand (delicious!!!) is sort of in the same direction as the O-TOP. Again, wish I could explain it better.

Maeng would gladly take you to the market and the noodle place and O-TOP make sure you find what you are wanting to see!!! Have you met her yet?

Carol

I have no idea where childrens' clothing would be. I'm not usually looking for that sort of thing. Do you have a Nancy Chandler map? She shows market areas by the products you'll find for sale.

Also, have you been to JJ Mall yet? It is also next door to Chatuchak. 3 floors, air conditioned, good prices, it's like MBK, but smaller... and better prices (IMO)because it's a bit harder to get to.

It takes less than 5 minutes to stroll from MO CHIT skytrain station to the main entrance to the market and as most of the crowd will be heading that way you cant miss it. Simple and defintely the quickest way from central BKK.

This entrance takes you past the Tourist Police information booth and they will give you a map and help you find what you are after.

The fruit market is not the OTOP market. There's an OTOP section of Chatuchak, but you're after the "Aw Ta Gaw" farmers market run by the Ag. Ministry. For this, as well as Chatuchak, the subway really is the best route that puts you right in both markets. Both are at the Kampangphet station, just different exits. The exits are well marked (for Chatuchak, just follow the crowd!), and you can use the subway station to get from one market to the other without crossing busy streets.

Michael,
We're probably talking about the same fruit/produce market. I just thought I had heard Maeng refer to it as O-Top.

Your instructions for getting to the market sound easy! We didn't to back thru the subway station. We had to cross the busy street. I'll ask Maeng about your route! Sounds easier.

Here is a map of Chatuchak. There is an area marked for clothing on it.

http://www.guidetothailand.com/thail...tuchak-map.php

Carol, we're definitely talking about the same market. You may be mis-hearing Maeng, or she just says OTOP for your benefit. For the longest time, the link between the two ends of the subway station was closed off (as it still is in most of them) but they did finally open it early this year or late last year. They tried to make the link space into a sort of Chatuchak extension, but I think it failed.

As for maps of the market, the whole 'zoning' system is more concept than practice. Shops may be concentrated in the relevant zone, but you'll find shops selling anything anywhere in the market. Also, the map SirHalberd linked to, like almost every map of the market, leaves off a HUGE section of the market that was added more than 10 years ago.

Carol: Is your friend Maeng a guide? (I noticed your offer on the Dec 11 post, or was that just for Bill?)

EK
Maeng is not a guide, but she loves to show my friends around BKK! She is the co-owner of a British Pub style bar on Sukhumvit soi 11, the Pickled Liver, that I mention often on this forum. I've known her for a number of years, and we have become the very best of friends. We spend lots of time together when I'm in BKK.

Maeng knows michaelbkk (hey, Michael, how about quiz night again sometime??) and also knows hanuman and kuranosuke and a number of other fodorites. Maeng just met NYWoman in August and they spent some time together a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure both of them enjoyed this very much. I introduced Maeng and NYWoman, after NYW and I had just met, over coffee, a mini gtg of sorts, at my hotel on soi 8! She then met another one of my BKK friends and really enjoyed it very much, I think. Having good friends in BKK makes it such a delight to return again and again.

Maeng remembers everyone of my friends she has met!! Amazing! Even Degas stopped by the bar and said "Hello" and Maeng showed him my photo (on the wall... lots of photos).. and I've never even met Degas!

There was a couple from Texas sitting in the bar, eating dinner one evening, and I was at the next table. We struck up a conversation and Maeng ended up showing THEM around the weekend market that Saturday! Maeng is soooo sweet.

Hope you can meet her!

bill, take the mrt at asoke station and go toward bang sue, and get off at the station that carol and michael mentioned.

while there, treat you and olive to some excellent lechon. you can even get a small sandwich bag of cooked rice, and have a nice snack.

taxis sound great to me

Thanks all for the good input.

Sawasdee!

A little more information hurts nobody

http://www.bts.co.th/th/stationMap.asp?s=N8_Update

http://www.bangkokmetro.co.th/map.as...&Menu=8&Sid=17

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=13.8001157...16&l=0&m=b&v=8

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/...648e0678_o.jpg

http://www.soidb.com/en/bangkok/shop...or_market.html

BillT

From your hotel a taxi is a very good option.Saturday-Sunday very little trafic in the morning...+-100baht

Sanuk

Ooopppsss!!

Nearly forgot the real McCoy...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/...6f0c313b_b.jpg

And a little bigger

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/...41378679_o.gif

Sanuk

toni46 - wow thats a big help thanks!

toni46- my wife will be looking for a certain kind of fruit at the market- its called Lonzanes (thats what its called in the Philippines). Now sure what its called here but we know that Bangkok has it as we found it on our last trip- there was a guy wheeling a cart around the Oriental hotel area that had it and we bought out his supply! Now can you tell me what the local name is for this fruit?

topping

certainly it is available in one of the markets in bkk without going out to JJ

Perhaps you're talking about longan? It's just coming into season. It might help if you described it. Longan are small dusty brown spheres about the size of a large wine grape, with meat similar to lychee.

The farmers market has things you won't easily find in other markets, and perhaps importantly in this case, most of the stalls can pack for export.

Sawasdee

BillT

The fruit that in the Philippines know as lanzones or lansones,in Thailand are lansart...this fruit

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/...0c8ae767_o.jpg

Look in this link when that fruit is in season

http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/fruit-tfruit.html

If when you come to Thailand they are not in season tell your wife to try this other fruit...longkong

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/...7281fc4c_o.jpg

This two fruits look the same but they are not.When it is their season,you can buy then all over the place,just now you find longkong in any market,street seller or big comercial center,no problem

Sanuk

toni46:
Thanks- yes thats the fruit she wants and yes it appears not to be in season in January so we will try the other one you suggest.

there is a big super market in the all seasons place right next to PA...maybe they would have it there for you

btw if you go out the front door of PA and turn right and snake your way around to the back street, there are some good services back there and some small restaurants...

Thanks Bob- we will check that out!

a really fancy sap out there too

spa

(there may also be some fancy saps there as well, Bob)

Thanks, Carol! I will only have two full days (three nights) this trip, so time is a little short but you never know. In what neighborhood is her bar?

EKS
Maeng's bar, the Pickled Liver, is on a sub soi down Sukhumvit soi 11. Soi 11 is right at the stairway down from the Nana BTS station. Walk down soi 11, on the left side, go past the Zanzibar restaurant and their parking lot, and then you will see the little sub soi that goes past Cheap Charlies. Maeng's place is in the back part of this sub soi, almost next to the Suk 11 Hotel entrance. It is on the left side, just past the Tappas bar.

Hope you get to meet Maeng. Tell her you are a friend of Carol's from the internet. She has met a number of "us" fodorites.

Carol

Are the deals better at the JJ Malland/or the weekend market than say MBK? Where can you bargain the best deals?

Bill, to me, deals seem better at JJ Mall and the weekend market. But there are some things I buy at MBK because I don't see them at CC or JJ. Or maybe I just don't look hard enough for them....!

Most shops in MBK won't bargain much, if at all. There's a wider variety of stuff to be found at Chatuchak, which is its main attraction.