10 Best Bangkok Night Markets

Asiatique successfully combines 2 of the most popular shopping experiences in the city: a night bazaar and a mall. About 10 minutes downriver from Saphan Taksin BTS station, this once-bustling international trade port transformed with over 1,500 boutiques and 40 restaurants housed in a huge replica warehouse complex.

Open from 4pm, spending an evening here is no problem: you’ll have good fun browsing the boutiques and you’re guaranteed to find something to eat. And, if this isn’t enough entertainment, shows like the Calypso ladyboy cabaret are performed nightly.

Chang Chui Bangkok Plane Night Market takes Bangkok night markets to ‘new heights’. You'll find a nice selection of shopping and dining here, combined with modern, urban and often wacky art pieces, much of it made from recycled and scrap materials. The concept behind the night market is that ‘nothing is useless’ and we’re confident you’ll be deeply impressed by what the artists have managed to create.

The huge shell of a Tristar airliner is the real head-turner at Chang Chui, but as you explore the grounds you’ll find loads more sculptures and urban art pieces. It seems every walkway leads to something interesting. This feature makes this is one of the best night markets in Bangkok.

The massive Chatuchak Market fills up every weekend, but not many know that you can actually come here for some nighttime shopping on Fridays, as vendors set up their stalls from around 9pm until late. You can expect much of the same stock as you'll see in the day on Saturdays and Sundays – just less heat, fewer people and not so many stalls open (for example, the homeware, gardening and pets sections are all closed).

There’s more of a chilled-out, local vibe, with most of the main stores, restaurants and bars open around the main ring road of the market drawing in a young crowd from the nearby universities.

Khaosan is the centre of the backpackers' universe – it’s bursting with fun, tacky and useful things to blow your baht on. Its ubiquitous travel shops can arrange your outward journey, whether it be flights, trains or bus tickets. The many tailors will happily whip you up a sharp suit ready for when you arrive back from the islands.

A must for the beach is a gripping read, and fortunately several of the city's best secondhand book shops are here. Modern essentials aren't neglected either: internet cafés, chemists, convenience stores, banks and monetary exchanges abound. Read more

Khlong Thom Market, formerly known as 'Flashlight Market' due to the fact that shoppers need a torch to view the goods (when shopping at night), is especially crowded late on Saturday evenings. Jam-packed with motley vendor stalls and displays, the market is best known for its secondhand goods and assorted knick-knacks.

Covering areas of Luang, Worachak, Charoenkrung and Suar Pa Roads, Khlong Thom has everything from spare car parts, DVDs and CDs and electronic devices to clothing and toys. Besides the roadside stalls, there's also the 3-storey Khlong Thom Centre (close to Worachak Road) where car accessories and toys are for sale.

At Rod Fai Market, a huge open-air bazaar in the eastern suburbs of Bangkok, the vintage look never goes out of style. Spread on the ground are all kinds of collectables and memorabilia from yesteryear, from antique furniture to hippy fashion to Mao kitsch.

Rod Fai Market definitely stands out from the hordes of outdoor markets across Bangkok but it could be hard to find as it’s spread out on a huge plot of land behind Seacon Square on Srinakarin Road.

The newer Rod Fai Market, in the Ratchada area of Bangkok, brings the same convivial night bazaar feel, antique curios, and street-food snacks and treats from its original location into an area of the city that's much easier to access thanks to the nearby Cultural Centre MRT Underground Station.

This new Bangkok train market is more central and compact, meaning it’s easier to pop in for a spot of browsing anytime from 5 pm to midnight, Thursday to Sunday.

Suan Lum Night Bazaar Ratchada is a night market on Ratchada Road, close to Lad Phrao MRT Underground Station. With 1,800 stalls, shops, restaurants and plenty of entertainment options, it's looking to recreate the experience of the original Sun Lum Night Bazaar, which was a mainstay on tourists’ itineraries until it closed some years ago.

The location is slightly more out-of-town and it has a more modern vibe than its predecessor. The night market is complemented by an 800-room hotel called The Bazaar Hotel.

A lot of Nana shopping exists on the street, with the vendors that make up the roadside market fringing the main road. This part of Bangkok is also known as the Middle Eastern quarter – 'Little Arabia’, where many Arab businesses set up shop. 

Street stalls selling counterfeit T-shirts, bags, trinkets, DVDs, CDs and eastern-influenced apparel contribute to the bustling vibrancy of the place. This is a great location to pick up indigenous tokens for friends and family back home.

Ratchayothin Night Market is in the northern part of the city. Items on sale here are a bit trendier, and with the market located next to the Major Ratchoyothin Cinema and IMAX complex, you can catch a flick before or after shopping around. A few bargain shops and eateries are also in the shopping complex.

The easiest way to get to the market is to take the MRT subway to Phahonyothin station, catch a tuk tuk and tell the driver to take you to 'talat' (market) Major Ratchoyothin. Bus number 543 runs by Ratchoyothin, or, just take a taxi from BTS Mo Chit station to the market.