SHOPPING ???

If you like car boot sales and flea markets, try Chatuchak Market for size. Over 35 hectares of market stall upon market stall selling everything from puppies, chipmunks, foods, crafts, and flea market type junk.

It's open from 9am to 6pm both Saturday and Sunday. I suggest you get there early to avoid both the crowds and the heat.

The easiest (coolest and cheapest) way to arrive is via the BTS Sky train (Mo Chit stop), from here you just walk across the street. The Metro also has a stop here. The Market itself is just a mind-blowing maze of 15,000 stalls and it's great for gift shopping. Personally, I chose to concentrate on the food and animal stalls. All kinds of weird and wonderful foods were available and I really can’t tell you all I tried as I don’t even know what I was eating half the time.

I was curious to see all the animals on display even though I knew it would bother me. Strangely enough, they seemed healthy and well fed. It was early when we arrived and all the puppies were being washed and blow dried for maximum sale potential. Although there are plenty of clothing stalls and places to get gifts I was recommended the MBK MALL for more serious souvenir purchasing.

This immense mall (8 stories high, 2500 stores) is every mall rat's fantasy. It's modern, marbled, and unlike the market, it has great air-conditioning making for greater shopping potential.

Located in Siam Square on the BTS (National Stadium Station) this place is teeming with Thai teens. One whole floor was full of electronics, the food court was amazing, and if you can get the local clothes to fit, they go for great prices.

Save all of your shopping for this place. It is awesome! It is like many Flea Market's here in the states (the San Jose, CA Flea Market comes to mind), however, it it HUGE (at least two times the size) with smaller booths. You can buy anything from faux handbags and sun glasses, to faux antiques, Thai silk, linen, tablecloths, pillow shams, art, clothing, all the tourist stuff your heart desires, furniture, and lamps. New and Used.

Directions: Simply take the Skytrain to the end terminal, called Morchit, which is exactly where the market is located.

Website: http://www.discoverthailand.com

Chatuchak is a charming place for shopping galore and great bargains. Touted as the world's largest open-air weekend flea market, this place is not for the faint-hearted. The easiest way to reach Chatuchak market is via the Skytrain. Drop by Mo Chit station and follow the streaming crowd to the entrance.

For Chartuchak virgins, you are highly recommended to brave yourself for mad bargaining, rubbing with sweaty bodies and exhilarating discovery. The best way to beat the heat is to arrive in early morning, when the heat is still bearable and the throbbing crowd has not yet arrived. Shoppers are encouraged to dress in shorts and sleeveless tops to get around the lack of changing rooms. Chatuchak is segmented into different areas, in theory at least: fashion and apparel, housing, vintage, pets, etc. In practice, it is probably hard to maneuver from spot to spot, and the best bet is to bargain for your best buy rather than with the hope that you can go back and find the same shop.

Most items are negotiable, and as a start, slash the price in half and bargain your way slowly up. Most owners are armed with doses of conversational English, but the calculator will prove to be your universal language. My advice is to bring a electronic portable fan and water bottle and enjoy the endless haggling. There are 199 baht items everywhere, but do not be overwhelmed by the good price your exchange rate fetches you initially. I was overwhelmed by the 25 baht earrings and 150 baht top I've acquired, but I soon learned that even 100 baht for a T-shirt can be bargained down further. Most items quoted are negotiable, even with big display signs. The trick is to buy in bulk and leave the shop without hesitation if you do not fetch the price you fancy. If the owner stops you with a discounted price, that's probably a good price you have fetched. If not, the quoted price is probably too low for profit margins. Go with a pack of fellow shoppers and buy in bulk and you will get a good price. Otherwise, threaten to leave. It's either we buy 10 or 0.

Shops close in the evening, so do make full use of your time there to haggle after cheap buys. Beware, though, Bangkok has a fascination with pirated goods. All things can be duplicated here, and there's no such thing as an original at weekend markets.