It’s almost unthinkable for anyone visiting Bangkok with shopping in mind to miss the experience of JJ market in Bangkok.
Some would say that if you didn’t visit JJ Market once during your stay, you didn’t really visit Bangkok, and most importantly, you may have missed some great saving deals.
You might see various names and spelling for JJ Market, including Chatuchak, Jatujak, and JJ. They are the same place, and locals will know what you’re talking about when trying to get there.
Chatuchak Weekend Market is the largest weekend market in Bangkok. It is located north of Bangkok and is one of Thailand’s four largest markets, at 68 Rai or 26.88 Acres.
So be prepared physically and mentally for a day full of walking and bargaining fun. You will make your Fitbit very happy, counting thousands of daily steps.
But before you can embark on your JJ market visit, you need to get there first, so check out our Checklist for a Thailand holiday before you go.
How many stalls are there at JJ Market?
Chatuchak Market or JJ Market isn’t just a large empty site; it is packed full of thousands of small to large stores, approximately 8,000 – 10,000 stores!
What can you buy from JJ Weekend Market in Bangkok?
There are 27 projects within this monstrous market floor plan, and thousands of shops are categorized and zoned together, which is beneficial for shoppers to know where they should be heading to find what they want precisely.
Block after block, the shops are tightly gridded together, and you may walk through tens of shops within a few minutes.
Let’s look at what products there are amongst the 27 projects, and you can have some ideas of what you can buy from JJ Market as a souvenir for yourself and your loved ones and where exactly you should go.
Second-Hand Items, Antiques, and Collectibles
There are many exciting and unique items waiting to be found by you at JJ Market. Imagine oriental Op Shops in the open or a small museum full of classic and vintage pieces.
Buddha statues, god and goddess statues, plates, teapots, instruments, gaming machines, commercial memorabilia, toys, dolls, and so on!
Art
Thai Traditional or modern art, this place has something interesting for you. You will be surprised at how many talented Thai artists are at JJ market, creating beautiful art for sale at a reasonable price.
There’s digital art, watercolor, acrylic, oil painting, 3D, panels, and canvas, to name a few, framed or frameless; you will find something here. The only problem is you will need to think of a way to take it home.
Books
Many bookshops will be selling all types of used Thai books. It feels like a book museum like you step back in time.
If you are Thai and love books, you probably will get lost in these bookshops for hours. There are also a lot of Anime and Japanese comic books, both new and used but written in Thai.
Pets and Pets Related Products
People often flock to JJ Market for new puppies, kittens, birds, amphibians, and fish purchases, to name a few. Also, pet-related products include dog and cat beds, bird cages, cat condominiums, fish tanks, pet foods, and toys.
Handicrafts
Thailand is well-known for handicrafts, and JJ Market is one of the best centers for all handcraft souvenirs you can find.
If you visited other provinces during your holidays and missed the opportunity to buy some souvenirs, you may get a second chance to see them here at JJ Market.
Handmade products made from wood, such as teak cutlery, wood-carved statues, and toys. Many woven sunhats, bags, baskets, candle holders, etc.
However, you will need to check your country’s customs for import regulations to know if you could bring these beautiful handcrafts home.
Plants and Gardening Tools
JJ Market is a one-stop shop for plants and gardening tools, from small cacti to fruit trees to wheelbarrows.
Clothing and Accessories
Bangkok is all about fashion and accessories; whatever you can think of, JJ market will have it.
You can find traditional batik, sarong, modern and fresh off-the-runway dresses, jeans, t-shirts, fashion earrings, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, rings, handbags, headbands, etc.
Furniture and Home Decor
Traditional style wooden furniture and home decor made from teak, rosewood, Padauk, Makha, redwood, and rubber wood, as well as some stock and custom-made modern furniture and home decor, can be found.
Food and Drinks
You can never walk around hungry anywhere in Thailand, and JJ Market has all the food and drinks you need or want to keep you fully charged.
We are talking about something as simple as grilled chicken skewers to pork balls to Thai made-to-order fast foods such as Pad Thai, Chicken Basil Spicy Stir-Fry, Fried Rice, Noodle Soups, Italian Pizza, Pasta, and even Spanish Paella!
For those with a sweet tooth, a variety of desserts such as the famous Mango Sticky Rice, Coconut Ice Cream, Waffles, Crepes, Sweetened Shaved Ice with Candied Fruits, Thai Kanom Buaeng, Bua Loi, and so much more!
Drinks include freshly squeezed fruit juice, delicious Thai tea, iced coffee, and soft drinks.
Second-Hand Clothing and Miscellaneous
Second-hand denim jeans are popular here, followed by sneakers and others such as shirts, and dresses at very affordable prices.
Miscellaneous goods include everyday home items such as plastic baskets, pots, pans, fairy lights, artificial flowers, stationery, small souvenirs such as magnets, hand fans, and art and crafts supplies.
Clay and Ceramic Products
Prepare for some heavy lifting, as this is where you will feel the weight of your shopping bags the most.
There are too many beautiful products here, handmade clay and ceramic cups, dishes, bowls, plates, pot plants, and statues, all with beautiful neat, and fun details.
Thai Silk
It feels wrong not to bring any Thai Silk products home after visiting Thailand. The unmissable pieces are colorful scarves, cushion and pillowcases, table and bed runners, and carry bags.
When should you visit JJ Market in Bangkok?
Seasons
Most parts of JJ Market are covered but not air-conditioned. Many shops will have fans installed to keep customers cooled, and some shops have air-conditioners, but it is still pretty hot when walking around the blocks.
Please be aware that the end of the year and the beginning of the new year is the period that most Thais look forward to the most so that they can take a long week or two off to visit their loved ones. So your visit to the market between 25-Dec and 7-Jan can be tricky as many shops are closed.
Cold season
Winter (Cold Season) between Mid October and Mid May is the best time. The weather varies between 18 – 32 Celsius. Yes, this is Winter in Thailand. It will be relaxed and dry in the early morning and gets hotter during the day with no rain. Winter is also peak season for Thailand, so there will be many more visitors than usual.
Summer
Summer between Mid February and Mid May is also popular but extremely hot at 35-40 Celcius. We recommend that you visit the market early in the morning so you can rest by the early afternoon when the sun is most potent.
April 13-15 is Songkran Festival or Thai New Year; apart from getting splashed with water on the way to the market, you will also find that many shops are closed the same way as the new year closes in December and January.
Rainy season
The rainy season between Mid May and Mid October is ok, very hot and sticky, very humid during the day, and usually rains in the afternoon, and boy, when it rains, it pours! And it can flood as well.
Entrance & trading hours
Entrance Gates: 3
Tuesdays: 09:00 – 20:00 – 9 AM – 8 PM
Wednesdays – Thursdays: 05:00 – 18:00 – 5 AM – 6 PM
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays: 05:00 – 24:00 – 5 AM – 12 AM
It is wise to visit JJ Market during weekdays because it is much less busy. However, JJ Market is most lively on the weekends, and more little shops and stalls will also be open, especially for weekend shoppers.
How to get to JJ Market?
Compared to the past, it’s much more convenient to reach JJ market in Bangkok now that BTS and MRT lines go directly to the front of the market.
BTS (Sky Train) - Mo Chit Station - Exit 1 - Walk to JJ Market Entrance Gate 3
The BTS sky train is a crucial part of Bangkokians’ lives. The traffic is sometimes unbearable, and you must head up to the sky train platform to avoid being stuck for hours.
There are a lot of passengers on the train, and you may feel a tight squeeze at some stage, but the BTS takes you to the Mo Chit station at a precise time and with no traffic.
MRT (Subway) - Kamphaeng Phet Station - Exit 2
The same goes for the MRT subway; if you stay near one of the MRT stations, head underground, and you will reach the JJ Market in no time.
Buses
Buses may not be the first choice of public transportation for non-Thai-speaking tourists, but nothing stops you from jumping on it.
All you need is cash. The ticket costs between 8-25 Baht (Approx. US$0.20-0.70) depending on the distance of your station.
Hand the money, preferably in coins or small notes, to the money collector, receive your ticket and hold onto it. You will need to know where to get off or stay close to the money collector.
If you need to know which stop to get off at, let the money collector know by saying Chatuchak or JJ Market, and the money collector will help remind you.
You can tell the difference between ordinary and air-conditioned buses. The ordinary ones are usually in red and cream, blue or green, with all windows up.
The air-conditioned buses have all windows sealed, usually in navy and tangerine colors.
You may also see the Thai alphabet displayed before the bus numbers for air-conditioned ones. The “ป.อ.” stands for air-conditioned, so there is no need to worry. Only make sure you get onto the correct bus number.
The last trick for catching a bus is to ensure it is heading to JJ Market and not just returning from it. The destinations sign is displayed in front of the bus, and in Thai most of the time, unfortunately. The destinations board gets swapped back and forth; from and to.
Bus - Phahonyothin Road
Ordinary Bus Numbers: 3, 8, 27, 28, 44, 52, 77, 96, 104, 108, 122, 126, 145 and 182
Air Conditioned Bus Numbers: ปอ.3, ปอ.28, ปอ.29, ปอ.34, ปอ.39, ปอ.44, ปอ.59, ปอ.63, ปอ.77, ปอ.104, ปอ.126, ปอ.134, ปอ.138, ปอ.145 and ปอ.502
Bus - Kamphaeng Phet Rd
Ordinary Bus Numbers: 26, 77, 96, 104, 122, 134, 136, 138, 145, 157 and 182
Air Conditioned Bus Numbers: ปอ.77, ปอ.134, ปอ.138, ปอ.145, ปอ.157, ปอ.509, ปอ.517, ปอ.529 and ปอ.536
Taxis
Before BTS and MRT time, a taxi was the most popular transportation choice, and people had limited options as connecting several buses to get to JJ Market can be exhausting.
Make sure the meter is on! Only agree to get into a cab with a meter. The cab charge starts at 40 Baht (Approx. US$1.15) and 6.5 Baht (Approx. US$0.19) per KM onwards.
Air-conditioned shopping malls near JJ Market
Walking around the market in the heat all day long can be exhausting. Luckily there are a couple of air-conditioned shopping malls nearby that you can visit, shop, eat, rest and recharge before continuing your day.
JJ Mall
Trading Hours:
Mondays – Wednesdays: 10:00 – 19:00 – 10 AM – 7 PM
Thursdays: 10:00 – 18:30 – 10 AM – 6:30 PM
Fridays: 10:00 – 19:00 – 10AM – 7PM
Saturdays – Sundays: 10:00 – 20:00 – 10 AM – 8 PM
Stores: Approx. 500+
This three-story shopping mall offers almost similar products to what’s out there at the JJ Market. The prices may be slightly higher due to the location and comfort of cool air-conditioning, but only by a small margin.
JJ Mall is a great place to break from the hot JJ Market, and it has many different and exciting retail and wholesale products for you to shop around during the break. There are many great restaurants, banks, and currency exchange booths.
The JJ Mall ground floor offers clothing, bags, shoes, jewelry, art, pet products, supermarkets, fresh fruits and vegetables, and OTOP products. The unique thing about OTOP products is OTOP stands for One Tambol One Product or One Sub-District One Product. Thailand is proud of its crafts. Every Thai sub-district has its showcase product, whether it’s food or handicrafts such as handbags, woven baskets, woodcarving items, toys and sunhats, and many more, which makes it a perfect pitstop for Thai souvenirs.
The first floor has more clothing for men and women, both retail and wholesale. Gifts shop full of beautiful souvenirs, beauty stores, restaurants of popular cuisines such as Thai, Chinese, Japanese, KFC, ice cream, and coffee shops.
Last but not least, the second floor holds a variety of home decor, appliances, IT goods, a bookstore, a beauty salon, a spa, a pharmacy, more restaurants, and a food court.
Mixt Chatuchak
Trading Hours:
Mondays – Thursdays: 10:00 – 20:00 – 10 AM – 8 PM
Fridays – Sundays: 10:00 – 22:00 – 10 AM – 10 PM
Stores: Approx. 700+
Another three-story shopping mall with a modern look opened in 2019. Mixt Chatuchak gives a good shopping mall feel with a cleaner and sleeker look to the stores and stalls inside.
The products sold inside Mixt Chatuchak are trendy and interestingly unique. You won’t be walking around getting bored, and you won’t be able to help yourself but stop at every shop.
This shopping center has a designated large area to hold events and exhibitions and has been one of the main places in Chatuchak for people’s meeting points in recent years.
Mixt Chatuchak offers food and beverage, fashion and accessories, home decor, art, souvenirs and gifts, beauty salons and spas, banks and currency exchange, freight forwarders, and many fantastic restaurants.
Hotels Near Chatuchak
Bangkok is the perfect place for souvenir shopping and the ultimate 24/7 city life experience.
Most people will spend big on the last week of their Thailand visit, and when you plan to shop all day, consider staying nearby the shopping centers. Why? Because you can!
Book a hotel and stay near the shopping centers so you can shop and pause as often as you like, drop your treasures back at your hotel when overloaded, refresh and go back out again.
Nowadays, it is convenient to go straight to the airport from Chatuchak district now via the BTS sky train, MRT subway, and Airport Rail Link.
There are approximately 200 hotels and hostels near JJ Market within a distance of 0.6 to 5 KM, so you’re bound to find a hotel you’ll like.
Top 10 tips for visiting JJ Market
Here are some valuable tips before visiting the JJ or Chatuchak Market. These may be helpful for you when planning your day.
- Plan: Plan your route, and know which stations to get off when using public transportation such as the MRT subway, BTS sky train, or buses, as there are three entrances you can enter the market.
- Bright and early: Start your day early, although you won’t need to be there as soon as the gates open at 5 AM. We recommend a 7 or 8 AM start for Fridays to Sundays.
- Clothing: You can never go wrong with Summer clothing in Thailand. A T-shirt, tank top, and shorts are the way to go. Make sure to coat yourself well with sunscreen, and remember to bring the tube along for top-up during the day. Hats and sunglasses are a must, and keep hydrated. Masks are not mandated. The reason that you still see people wearing masks is due to dust and pollution.
- Cash or card: Use cash when shopping at JJ Market. There are adequate banks and currency booths available if you need one; however, remember to check the exchange rate that day. Watch out for pickpockets.
- Phone App: Download and install Chatuchak Guide App. on your smartphone. This application contains real-time information that can be very handy when finding stores and seeing if there is any promotion or upcoming event.
- Maps: JJ Market is a massive place, and checking the market floor plan will help save time. There are mud map stands around the site to assist as well.
- Photos: As a tourist, you love to take photos of every place and everything you see as a journey memory. Please look around the store before reaching for your camera, as you may see a “No Photo” sign. Some stores prefer you take their photos with permission, so please ask nicely with a big smile, and some “no” answers should not be a surprise.
- Bargaining: Bargain appropriately. We all love a good bargain, and this is undoubtedly a fun place to do so. While many shops have their prices displayed clearly, some still need to. You can still try and bargain; you have more chance when you buy more than one item as the shopkeepers will give you some discount when you ask them nicely. Please avoid entering the store and cut their prices by 50% straight away as your shopping experience may be displeasing. A bargain between 10-20% is an appropriate recommendation.
- Take a break: There are a couple of air-conditioned shopping malls nearby within walking distance. Go there, find something to eat, cool yourself down, and then come back and continue your day.
- Returning home: Know your country’s customs regulations. There are many exciting traditional Thai gifts you want to take home as souvenirs for yourself, friends, and family, but customs may ban some products due to their properties which is a shame.
