Description: The MythosIt is time to break an old mythos. Most visitors approach Patpong as their "night market visit" while in
Bangkok Index. Yet, Patpong is small, crowded and located in an unpleasant area amidst a plethora of go-go bars.
Yet, no far from there – at walking distance – is a much larger, pleasant and attractive market: Suan Lum. The name means "Low Garden" (literally "garden low"); that may look a strange choice for a night market until the visitor recalls he is just next to
Lumphini, the largest park in Bangkok.
As Patpong, this market has been artificially upgraded; it is not called a market anymore. The welcome sign reads "Suan Lum Night Bazaar." Even the
Thai script on the sign reads "night bazaar," this Thainglish combination has just the right amount of appeal to attract the local population.
I was at Lumphini and Silom but didn’t see it!Even if visiting Lumphini and
Silom by foot, it is easy to miss this large market. Simply it is located on other corner of the large park at the intersection of Rama IV and Wireless roads. Walking there from Silom or through the park is possible and recommended; however, the Lumphini Park Station of the
metro is near the market.
The market opens roughly at 6 PM and stays open until midnight. The best approach is to make such a visit planning to dine in the market.
LayoutThe market includes several thousand stalls, posing a real competence to the
Chatuchak Weekend Market. If the stalls weren’t arranged in specialized areas, one visit wouldn’t be enough to see the whole maze. Strategically placed among the shops are food plazas, restaurants and a puppets theatre.
An advantage when compared with Patpong is that this market is covered, allowing visits also during the rainy season. Another notable difference is the crowd visiting the market. As a result of its location and facilities this market is the most sophisticated among Bangkok’s traditional and street markets. Thus, the visitors are obviously better off, and include Thai, expats and travelers alike.
ProductsThe products offered here are not different from those in other markets; the difference lies in the quantity and variety of the merchandise. However, beyond the expected souvenirs, DVDs, clothes, gold, jewellery and food, this market also offers antiques, paintings and sculptures.
FoodDining in the market is part of the experience; few places in Bangkok offer a better choice of establishments. These include Thai and international restaurants and bars as well as a large beer garden. Some of them have indoor tables while others allow sitting outside and enjoying the chaotic ambience; a few of the most sophisticated spots even offer live Thai cover bands. However, the best option for dinning is combining the experience with a visit to the puppets’ theatre.
EntertainmentWithin the bazaar is the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre. Naatayasala Hun Lakorn Lek in Thai. Its performances of traditional Thai Puppets Theatre are centered on the Ramakien, Thailand's national epic.
The theatre was born under dramatic circumstances, when an old art was almost lost. In 1984, a man named Sakorn demonstrated the ancient art of making khon masks and puppets in a booth at the annual Suan Amporn Fair in Bangkok. The Thai authorities found then that he was the last person alive mastering this art and he was offered to produce more puppets.
Next year he participated again, this time with a show performed by his children and the theatre was born. In 1996 he was recognized as a National Artist and three years later the first theatre was inaugurated. In 2002 the theatre was moved to its actual location at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. It is frequented by Thai royalty and has won numerous awards.
The shows begin at 8 PM, but a documentary on Thai Puppetry can be enjoyed thirty minutes before the performance; the shows long 75 minutes. Amulets, headdresses, masks, and puppets are sold as souvenirs. The attached Naatayasala Terrace offers dinners in a beautiful ambient decorated with traditional Thai motifs. Few places in town display a more traditional Thai ambience.
Also in the bazaar is the Bangkok Hall. It hosts concerts and special events. Due to its nature, it is not open every day.
BargainingThe sad truth is that things at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar are not cheap; bargaining is essential and expected.
After spotting a worthy item, relax and show the shopkeeper your best smile while pointing at it. A price would be announced. Now is the moment for showing shock and asking for twenty percent of the mentioned price by the shopkeeper.
The vendor would show his – or her - shock, and the ritual would be continued until an agreement is reached. A forty to fifty percent of the original price can be reached with a bit of patience and humor. A good negotiating tactic is learning the Thai numbers and bargaining afterwards like a local; the sellers would enjoy so much the tones mispronunciations that a better price is guaranteed. Of course, purchasing several items would be rewarded with an extra discount for quantity.
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